


Champion on Board

by mariposaroja



Category: MotoGP RPF, Motorcycling RPF
Genre: M/M, Mpreg, Not real, Prompt Fill, at all, completely fictitious, just making sure you know, probably going to be ridiculously long, seriously, update: past ridiculously long
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-02-06 04:44:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 96
Words: 227,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1844782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariposaroja/pseuds/mariposaroja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marc thinks that he has everything more or less figured out... until he doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Falling Apart

**Author's Note:**

> I had intended for this to be small and cute but then suddenly I had 25,000 words written so... yeah. It's also my very first attempt at mpreg but oh well! This first chapter is a bit shorter than the rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had intended for this to be small and cute but then suddenly I had 25,000 words written so... yeah. It's also my very first attempt at mpreg but oh well! This first chapter is a bit shorter than the rest.
> 
> I'm saying right now that this is a COMPLETE WORK OF FICTION. Absolutely no harm is meant by it. It's just a figment of my very overactive imagination!

Something was wrong, really wrong. That was the only thing that Marc really knew for sure. Things hadn’t been ‘right’ for quite a while now. He had no idea what was going on and to be honest, it was scaring the crap out of him. Marc grasped the edge of the granite bathroom counter and gingerly pulled himself to his feet once again, squeezing his eyes shut as the room began to spin. “Something is _definitely_ wrong,” he mumbled as he flushed the toilet.

The Honda rider made his way from the bathroom back into his hotel room and immediately sat down on the edge of the bed, uncapping and guzzling down the contents of a cool bottle of water. Marc sighed. When did everything get so messed up? He hadn’t been fine for weeks now but it wasn’t until last week that the whole thing became practically unbearable. It was starting to interfere with his riding…

Sighing again, Marc got to his feet, searching around the room for a t-shirt to wear that wasn’t stained in some way or other. He finally found one and had just pulled it over his head when there was a knock at the door. Adjusting his top, he reached over and pulled the door open, relieved to find that it was his brother.

Alex frowned at his brother’s state, stepping into the room. “Are you coming for breakfast?” the younger Marquez asked, not commenting on the fact that his brother looked like hell had swallowed him and spat him out again.

Marc gagged a little at the thought of having to eat something but maybe some coffee or juice would do him some good. “I guess, I just have to brush my teeth. Make yourself at home…” the door closed with a thud and he made his way into the bathroom once again, leaving the door wide open this time so that he could converse with his brother.

Alex arched an eyebrow and opened the curtains, illuminating the previously dark room. He soon realised that there was probably a reason Marc had kept them closed. The room looked like a bomb had gone off, with clothes and shoes and everything in between strewn to the four corners. This wasn’t Marc, he immediately thought to himself. Marc was neat and tidy and of the opinion that everything had its own place. The state of the room was very disconcerting. “Marc?”

The Honda rider stuck his head around the door frame, toothbrush still in his mouth and foam creeping down his chin. “Yeah?”

“What the hell happened in here? It looks like a war zone…”

Marc briefly looked around, knowing that he was right. He just hadn’t been in the mood to keep anything tidy lately. Especially when he spent the majority of the time getting sick. In fact, it was the state of the bathroom he was most worried about these days. He would clean it all when he checked out, but until then... Instead of replying, Marc simply shrugged and went to spit in the sink.

After that, he gargled some mouthwash, the good stuff that numbs your mouth to any taste for the next two hours. He’d gone through two 500ml bottles since they arrived at the hotel three days ago. His oral hygiene had never been better. After rinsing, Marc switched off the light in the bathroom and headed for the door, hoping that Alex would take the hint and follow after him. He did although he had to jog a bit to catch up.

“So… Are you going to tell me what’s actually going on?”

Marc grimaced slightly, at the situation not his brother. “There is nothing going on.”

Unsatisfied with that answer, Alex lunged slightly, grabbing his brother’s hand and forcing him to turn around and face him. “You’re forgetting that I know you better than anyone else, maybe even yourself. I _know_ when something’s not right and something isn’t right.”

The eldest Marquez felt like crying. The truth was, he had absolutely no idea what was going on so he couldn’t tell his brother even if he wanted to. He was just scared, so scared and didn’t know how to handle it. Marc sighed, feeling like he was going throw up again. “It’s just… I’m not really feeling that well and it’s making me cranky.”

“But you’re okay?” Alex wondered, eyeing his brother curiously, “Is there anything I can get you?”

“I’m fine- at least I will be. Don’t worry about me, I’m a fighter,” he said, trying his best to smile. He knew that it didn’t quite reach his eyes like it usually did. He just hoped his brother believed it.

The younger of the two frowned but nodded anyway. “You’re sure?”

“I’m positive.”

Breakfast didn’t turn out to be as bad as he had initially thought. Pol talked too much and Aleix smiled too much and Vale laughed too much and Dani brooded too much but, other than that, it was fine. The food was actually really good and Marc ended up consuming copious amounts of it, warranting curious glances from most of the other riders. Marc didn’t really care; he had been unable to keep practically anything down for the past week so when his stomach would allow it, he was going to consume all the food available.

The journey to the track was different today. Instead of feeling like he was going to be sick, Marc just felt bulky and sort of… hungry, if that was even possible given all the food he had eaten at breakfast. Maybe whatever illness he was suffering from was starting to break? He certainly hoped so.

Getting on his leathers was a bit of a struggle. Marc checked not once, not twice but three times that they were actually his. Before they slipped on pretty easily but now, not so much. It turned into a bit of a battle as he tried to fasten the thing as the zip kept getting caught around his abdomen. Eventually, Marc had to take a very deep breath and prise the zipper up while he could. It didn’t feel right, though; he felt constricted and squashed.

Marc frowned and stared himself down in the mirror, alternating between standing facing the right and the left. It seemed that he had gained a little weight… But that was impossible, wasn’t it? How could he have _gained_ weight when all he had been doing was throwing up for more than three weeks? Talk about a double negative! But yet, his figure did seem fuller and Marc wanted to cry again.

He didn’t really know why and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. Tears trickled down his cheeks and he slumped to the floor in defeat. Even that was hard as the tight leathers restricted his movement. Now he had to go and ask for leathers that were a bigger size. What the hell was going on with his body? What the hell was going on with _him_?

After a few minutes of wallowing in self-pity, there was a knock on the dressing room door and Marc immediately sat upright. Shit. “Marc? Are you in there? ”He hastily and roughly rubbed his eyes, trying to eliminate any sign of tears or crying. That was the last thing he needed his team to see him do. “Y-yeah! I’ll be out in a minute!”

Marc clambered to his feet, coming to stand in front of the mirror. There, he assessed his appearance once again. There wasn’t much difference physically, but he felt like a completely different person. The Honda rider took a deep breath and wiped his eyes once again. He may not feel like himself, but he would be damned if he let his team and competitors know that. With a determination that he had been lacking for weeks now, Marc pulled the door open and made his way to the garage. He was going to prove to everyone (himself mainly) that he still had what it takes.

Everyone seemed to be fully convinced too… except Dani, that is. The older man watched his team-mate very carefully as they waited for the last few things to be set up on their bikes. “Are you alright?”

Marc found himself blushing as he did every single time Dani spoke to him. Although it was hardly a mystery why given their past. He nodded, trying to not to frown too much. He was fine, right? Nothing could keep him down. “Eh, yeah, I’m great. Why?”

The older rider hesitated for a moment, still watching him intently. “It’s just you didn’t seem like yourself this morning and I just wanted to know if everything was okay…”

Marc frowned. “Oh. Well everything’s fine. But thanks for your concern.”

“No problem,” Dani replied with a smile, “Well, I should… my bike…” he tripped over his words, gesturing in the general direction of his ride.

“Yeah, of course. See you out on track.”

Thankfully, no-one seemed to notice that his leathers looked like they were two sizes too small for him and Marc managed to climb up on the bike, ready to get out there and kick some ass. It was all going well too; he kept looking for that extra inch as if it was a race and not just training. When he came back from his first run, his team commended him on his riding but warned him against pushing too hard.

Marc heard what they said but didn’t really listen. If what he was doing was working (and it was) what was the point of pulling back? So he set off again, hungrier than ever (both metaphorically and physically). Maybe he should have listened to his team, however, as, upon entering the third corner, he lost control of the bike and was flung unceremoniously into the gravel, bike tumbling after him.

The first thing Marc was aware of was the dull pain he felt as the bike made contact with his leg. When he finally came to a halt lying on his back, he stayed still just staring up at the blue sky. He couldn’t bring himself to move. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t he just… didn’t.  He crashed; and it was no-one’s fault but his own.


	2. Can't Fight It Anymore

“Marc! Marc!” Everything was suddenly a frenzy as his team and the medics rushed over to him asking him a million questions that he didn’t know the answers to. _Are you okay? Is anything broken? What happened? Was it the bike?_ The last one he did know the answer to. It wasn’t the bike, it was all him.

“Marc! Answer me! Can you hear me? We need to get him to the hospital, _now_. Get Dani off the bike until we know what happened.”

Marc squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of nausea overcame him once again. He groaned, the first noise he made since being thrown from the bike. “Need to… throw up…” Suddenly, he jerked to the left and got sick, emptying his stomach of all the food he had eaten for breakfast.

“Shit, he’s probably concussed. Right, we’re moving _now._ Marc, hang in there. We’re going to get you to the hospital, okay?”

He gave some kind of non-committal nod as he was hoisted on a stretcher and carried into an ambulance. “I’ll go with him. You go back to the paddock and get Alex and meet us there. And hurry.”

_And hurry._

Marc frowned. What was that meant to mean? He wasn’t _that_ bad, was he? Maybe they were just saying that he would need his brother by his side? _I’m not dying, am I? I don’t feel like I’m dying…_

Things were just as flustered when they finally reached the hospital. Marc just wanted to sleep but everything was so flustered and busy that he couldn’t. Doctors and nurses kept touching him and shining lights in his eyes. He just wanted to be left in peace.

“His leg is bruised from the bike but there’s nothing broken. He needs a scan and some blood tests urgently, however, so we can figure out if there’s anything else going on. He doesn’t seem to be concussed- his pupils are responsive and you say that you don’t think he was unconscious at any point?”

“He was awake when we got there-“

“I wasn’t unconscious…”

Everyone’s eyes immediately turned to the rider as he found his voice once again. Besides the pain in his leg and random parts of his body, he didn’t feel any worse than he had that morning. His lack of response wasn’t medical, it was more as a result of the pure disbelief he felt. How could he have been so stupid? He wasn’t invincible. But that was what he was trying to prove, wasn’t it?

“Mr. Marquez. Can you tell us what happened?” The dark haired female doctor asked him, checking his pupil response once again.

“It wasn’t the bike. It was me. I was being reckless. I pushed it too far.”

“Oh thank god! Why didn’t you talk to us before? You had us worried!” Shuhei sounded overjoyed.

“We haven’t ruled out anything yet,” the doctor warned him, “we still need to do tests.”

Marc shrugged slightly. “I don’t know. It wasn’t because I couldn’t remember or anything. It was the third corner. My memory is fine. I don’t think I hit my head.”

“Your team told us that you threw up. Did the bike hit your stomach?” the doctor asked.

He frowned. “No. I wasn’t feeling well before I went on the bike. I threw up this morning.” That wasn’t exactly the whole truth but he wasn’t going to discuss that in front of everyone.

“What? You should have told us that, Marc! We wouldn’t have let you go out!”

“Okay! Can everyone please leave the room because I think this is overwhelming Marc.”

Marc was seriously thankful for that. As much as he loved his team, he didn’t want to be under their scrutiny. Especially since he had been keeping his health problems from them for so long. A part of him was relieved that the crash happened so that he could actually speak to a doctor. He could have before but wondered if he would have been able to pluck up the courage to do so for fear of being told something he didn’t want to hear. He had no choice now.

The doctor closed the door and looked at him expectantly. “Okay, why don’t you tell me everything? You said that you weren’t feeling well this morning?”

Marc cringed. “Actually, I haven’t been feeling well for a while now…”

The doctor frowned, glancing over his file briefly. “When you say a while…?”

“Over a month…”

She stared at him incredulously for a moment before jotting that down. “Alright… so what symptoms do you have?”

Marc paused for a moment, unable to believe he was finally going to tell someone all of this. He hadn’t even told Alex, the person he trusted the most in the world. It was scary. “I’ve been throwing up. A lot. Constantly. Every day.”

“You’ve been getting sick _every day_ and you haven’t mentioned it to a doctor of any kind or your team?”

“… Yeah…”

“You’ve been riding a motorcycle competitively while this was all going on?”

It sounded worse out loud. “Yes… I was afraid if I told anyone then I wouldn’t be able to race.”

The doctor nodded. “That’s certainly a possibility… Marc, you shouldn’t be taking a risk like this. Throwing up for over four weeks is worrying.”

He scoffed. “You’re telling me!”

“So, over four weeks… Have you got any other symptoms? Reduced appetite? Serious weight loss?”

Marc frowned. Those were symptoms that one would usually link with what’s been happening to him. Unfortunately, they weren’t something he was experiencing. “The opposite actually… Recently it seems like, when I’m not throwing up, I’m eating more than I ever have and today I realised I had gained a lot of weight. Well, at least I think I did… my leathers wouldn’t fit anymore…”

The doctor, who had been writing all of this down on his file, paused, pen stalling mid word. She remained still for a prolonged moment, frowning. After a moment, her eyes widened slightly. The brunette placed the file down on a counter. “Marc… I know this may seem like an odd question but are you currently sexually active?”

He frowned. What the hell had that got to do with anything? “Not recently. I haven’t really been in the mood with all the constant throwing up and everything,” he said more sharply than was probably necessary and shot the doctor an apologetic look.

“Right… but before that. In the past two to three months?”

“…Yes.”

She hesitated again. “With a man?”

Marc immediately felt the blood rush to his cheeks. This was getting _very_ weird. He paused for a moment before nodding. “Yes.”

The doctor didn’t acknowledge that statement in any way. Instead she moved closed to his bedside and began pressing on his stomach in certain areas. She continued with that for about thirty seconds before stopping and pulling a chair to his bedside. She sat, a pensive look on her face. “Marc, I know this may come as a shock to you but I think that you may be pregnant.”

Marc’s face immediately fell. _You think I may be what?!_ He wanted to shout and tell her that that was crazy but instead he just ended up laughing. “I can’t be _pregnant_. Guys can’t get _pregnant_!”

The doctor smiled softly at him. “Some can. Some do. I think you’re one of those men. You’re symptoms all match up. If this isn’t the case, then we would have to do some serious tests. Pregnancy is the most likely and best case scenario.”

He let his head fall back onto the pillow, completely awestricken by what he had just heard. Pregnant? _Pregnant?_ As in, he was going to have a baby? _What?_ A hundred million emotions were flowing through him all at once and he couldn’t label any of them. “What can I do?”

“Just like any woman, you have options. You can chose to abort the pregnancy or you can chose to carry the baby to term. Neither option is easy. Of course, we’ll have to confirm these suspicions first but, realistically, that’s what we’re looking at.”

This was just too much for him to even compute. He had just found out that he had a baby inside of him and now he was meant to decide what to do with it? “Do I have to decide now?”

“No, you don’t but there is only a certain window for abortion. We need to determine how far along you are but from what you have told me, you need to decide within the next two weeks. I understand that this is an incredibly difficult decision to make…”

 _That’s putting it lightly._ How the hell had this even happened? Well, he knew _how_ but… what? “Okay. I understand. Could you please not mention this to any of my team? I want to tell them myself… when the time is right…”

“Of course. I just want to let you know that a male pregnancy is no more complicated than a female for the most part except the baby will have to be delivered by C-section. If that makes a difference? I’ll just draw some of your blood for tests and we’ll have to do some scans to make sure there’s no internal bleeding.”

“Yeah, okay, let’s do that.”

Once the doctor had finished examining him and taking blood, she left the room promising to tell the team that he was fine and needed to rest but would leave his brother in if he was there. Marc really wanted to be alone but knew that he would go crazy if he didn’t discuss the situation with someone and who better than Alex? And then there was the problem of the father. Marc knew for sure who it was seeing as he was the only man that he had ever slept with but that didn’t make it any easier to deal with.

Soon after Alex appeared in the doorway, eyes red and puffy, with a look of pure relief on his face. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“You had me so worried, you idiot. What the hell were you thinking?” his younger brother chastised him as he sat down on the edge of his bed.

Marc nodded. He knew if the situation was reversed that he would be furious with his younger brother. “I don’t know. I was trying to prove something to myself. Turns out it was something I would rather not have proved…”

Alex frowned, evidently more worried. “What are you talking about?”

For the first time since he had entered the hospital, Marc began to cry. Tears ran freely down his cheeks as he thought of how much his life was now changed. It was absolutely terrifying. “Alex, I messed up…”

“Hey, I’m sure it’s not that bad. Tell me what’s wrong,” the younger Marquez tried to comfort him, taking his brother by the hand. Alex himself was shaking. A million terrible scenarios immediately came into his head and none were good.

Marc rubbed his eyes. Damn emotions. Alex probably thought he was dying, the poor kid. Was this what he had to put up with now? From what he knew, pregnant woman were extremely emotional. “I need you to promise not to think any less of me. I wouldn’t blame you if you did but…”

“Of course. Just tell me what’s going on.”

He took a deep breath. Now or never. “I’m pregnant, Alex. I don’t know why it happened but I’m having a baby.” Marc watched his brother intently, taking in every little change in his expression. Shock, disbelief, incredulity… it was all more or less the same.

Alex stared at his brother, head cocked slightly to the side. His expression wasn’t one of disgust or hatred, it was simply one of curiosity. “Wow. That’s… wow.”

The Honda rider groaned and nodded. He lay back fully on the hospital bed once again, trying to avoid getting tangled up in the IV tube. “I know. Trust me, I know. How am I going to explain this one to the team? What are they going to say when I tell them? I’m obviously going to lose my ride. How can I ride a bike when I’m responsible for another life? I should just…”

“Should just what?”

Marc shook his head. He didn’t finish that sentence because it was completely selfish and at that point, he didn’t know if it was right to be selfish or not. “Nothing. I- it’s… nothing.”

“The season is nearly over… How far along are you? You could be extra careful until the end of the season and then come back after the start of next season after the baby is born. That is if you’re going to actually have the baby?”

That certainly was the million dollar question, wasn’t it? Would he or would he not have the baby. His baby. _Their_ baby. _Oh god_. Even the thought of it made him dizzy. “That’s if the team will have me… They’ll probably just send me away as quick as possible. I wouldn’t blame them, it’s not good for the image…”

Alex scoffed. “Oh please, your team worship the ground that you walk on. They might want to keep it quiet but I don’t think they’ll fire you,” he paused awkwardly for a moment, “What are you going to tell Dani?”

 _Wait, what?!_ Marc’s eyes widened as he realised what his brother was saying. It wasn’t a case of _what_ he said, more like _how_ he said it. He knew; but how? The Honda rider opened his mouth to speak and swiftly closed it again. There was always a chance that he was just taking a guess.

The youngest Marquez rolled his eyes. He looked rather amused. “What? Do you honestly think that I didn’t know? Are you kidding? You blush like a school girl whenever he even looks at you. Never mind when he actually _touches_ you. You didn’t need to say anything.”

He groaned. Was it really that obvious? They had been having sex on and off for a couple of months (up until Marc started coming down with the now not-so-mysterious illness) but he never thought that what they were doing was obvious to other people. “Great. That’s just fantastic. Does everyone know?”

“I doubt it. I just know you too well. I’ve seen you crushing on other guys before so I know what to look for.”

Marc’s cheeks turned at very violent shade of red. “I was not crushing on Dani! What we had was casual!”

Alex arched an eyebrow and stared his brother down for a minute. Marc absolutely hated that. God, sometimes it was like Alex was the older brother- or maybe even his father. “You’re not fooling anyone, you know. Well, you’re not fooling _me_. You’re crazy about him.”

The eldest of the two tried to seem scandalised by the accusation but it was really only a waste of time. Fine, Marc admired his team-mate in a way that wasn’t strictly professional. He knew, however, that Dani would never ever consider having a serious relationship with him. Marc’s age had a lot to do with that. What went on between them was strictly fun. “He’s not going to be crazy about me if I tell him about the… you know. He’s probably going to freak out and move to another team. Maybe I shouldn’t even tell him?”

“You’re not going to tell him that he’s going to be a father?”

“Is he?” The words had left his mouth before Marc even knew what he was saying, what he was implying.

Alex seemed pretty much unfazed. He shrugged. “You tell me.”

That simple statement annoyed the Honda rider a lot more than he would care to admit. He didn’t want to have to make all these serious- life changing- decisions. He was only twenty one! How could he possibly be expected to make a mature and well calculated decision? Especially with all these fucked up emotions. But that was the reality of it. He was either going to have the baby or not. There was no other option. “Honestly? I don’t know. God, mom is going to kill me! How can I tell them?”

“They’ll come around to the idea after a while if that’s what you decide. They love you, Marc. They’ll do whatever they can to help you, I know it. I’ll be there to help you talk to them if you want?”

Marc sighed. If only it was that easy. “I don’t know what I want, to be perfectly honest, but thanks anyway.” He was so completely grateful to have been given a brother as amazing as Alex. There would be no way he would have achieved so much without him. 

The younger of the two smiled widely and took his brother’s non-IV hand because, for all his courage, he really hated needles. “I’m going to be here for you no matter what you decide. Whether that’s driving you to the clinic or babysitting my niece or nephew. I’m all in.”

Marc found himself having to wipe away stray tears from his eyes once again. Stupid emotions. “I don’t know what I would do without you,” he freely admitted.

“Well, it’s a good thing that you don’t have to find out…”

Neither had a chance to say anymore as there was a soft knock on the door before the doctor from before stuck her head into the room. “Mr. Nakamoto would like to know if he could come in and have a word with you before you go up for your scans.”

Marc looked to his brother briefly and then nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. Alex, could you give us a few minutes?”

The younger of the two smiled and let go of his brother’s hand. “Of course,” he smiled, “I’ll be right outside,” Alex informed him before he rose from the chair and bypassed the doctor on the way out the door.

The Honda driver wiped his eyes once more to eliminate any signs of him having cried. “You can send him in now.”


	3. Ya he cambiado

Thankfully, bar the painfully obvious, there was nothing else wrong with him. He was instructed to take it easy for a day or two to let some of the bruising and swelling go down. Well, that was the ‘official’ reason anyway. The doctor had informed him to take that time to let his body recuperate because he was most definitely pregnant. The lab results had been clear as day. Just a little under three months to be exact. She had informed him that it was common for pregnant males not to realise that was what was going on until that point which made Marc feel like less of an idiot.

Marc was exhausted, both physically and mentally, by the time he got back to the hotel that night. There was extra media presence around as news of his accident broke so he couldn’t really avoid the cameras. He just waved and gave them a little smile to show that he was okay. Well, as ‘okay’ as possible anyway. Alex stayed by his side the whole time, being more protective of him than ever and he was very grateful for the support.

They managed to get inside the hotel easily enough. Once inside, Marc stopped and took a deep breath. It was just him and all his people now. People who would be keeping an extra close eye on him though he didn’t really want it. At least he had his brother there to help him deal with all.

He continued to make his way through the lobby, wanting to get back to the comfort of his own room and just sleep for what was left of the day which, admittedly, wasn't a lot. Marc stopped, however, after being on the receiving end of a nudge in the ribs from Alex’s elbow. He winced as it made contact with one of his many bruises and the Honda rider subconsciously rubbed his skin in an attempt to soothe it. That was until he looked up to see what had gotten Alex’s attention.

His breath caught in his throat as he saw Dani Pedrosa of all people standing there awkwardly, having gotten up from the lobby couch. It was obvious that he had been waiting there; the red print of his hand was on his cheek and he looked like he had been briefly asleep. _Why was he even there in the first place?_

“Hi,” Dani greeted him with a small smile, not moving any closer to his team-mate.

Marc couldn’t help but frown. It was a natural reaction given his… situation. “Hey.” He had a weird sense of déja vu.

The older man’s expression changed from a smile to slight embarrassment. He absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair. “I-uh… I wanted to see for myself that you were okay. The team told me you were but I just…”

Marc found himself smiling at that although he probably shouldn’t have. The attraction that got him into this place in the first place was obviously still there; that was never the issue. It seemed like a natural reaction. He just wanted to reach out and hug Dani and have him reassure him that everything was not completely messed up and that he would be okay. But he couldn’t. “I’m perfectly fine so you don’t need to worry. How long have you been here for?”

He could have sworn Dani blushed. “Er, about an hour… maybe two?”

The young rider’s heart fluttered slightly at the sentiment of it all. Dani obviously cared about him to some extent. Why would he care about him? They were team-mates, sure, but to say that they were good friends was a bit of a push. Yet Marc found himself wanting to confess everything to him right then and there. Alex evidently noticed the change in his demeanour as he firmly placed his hand on his older brother’s forearm as a warning of sorts. “You didn’t have to do that…”

“I know. I just… did. It’s no big deal.”

 _Sure it isn’t_. “Marc, we need to get you upstairs to your room. The doctor said that you need to rest if you want to recover quick enough to get on the bike for the weekend,” Alex’s voice suddenly broke through to his reasonable side which was what Marc _really_ needed.

“Yes, _dad_ ,” he joked just to put on a false show for his team-mate but Marc was silently very grateful for his little brother. He was definitely going to need him and his alarming sense.

“I’ll walk you up,” the offer came out of Dani’s mouth before he even knew what he was saying. He silently cursed when he realised it was a bit too quick to be considered completely casual. “I mean, I’m on the same floor as you. Alex, you’re on 2, aren’t you?”

Before the youngest Marquez could make a reply of any sorts, Marc nodded. He didn’t know why he did it, but he did. “That’d be great. Alex, you can go meet up with the guys since I’ve taken up most of your day already.” _What on earth possessed me to say that? What am I doing? Do I really trust myself to be alone with_ him _of all people?_

Alex’s expression silently communicated all of those questions as he looked cautiously between his brother and Dani. _If you know what you’re doing…_ “You’re crazy if you think that bothered me even a little bit. Text me before you go to sleep.” _Let me know what happened._

“I will,” Marc promised, hugging his brother before making his way over to where Dani stood by the elevator. “See you in the morning.”

With that Alex smiled, not exactly genuinely, and waved at Dani before making his way towards the bar where he would undoubtedly find his friends.

Marc looked around as his team-mate pressed the call button for the elevator. He was surprised to find that they were suddenly alone. Everyone else had seemed to disappear upon entering the lobby which he thought was strange. He didn’t have time to dwell on it, however, as the doors opened and they made their way inside. Marc now had another problem to deal with: being in close proximity once again with Dani.

For some strange reason he was convinced that his former lover knew what was going on even though the chances of that were practically non-existent. Nonetheless, it made him hyper aware of his surroundings.

“I was coming up behind you.” Dani’s voice sounded suddenly and Marc turned to look at him, head cocked slightly to the left. “When you crashed,” the other man clarified. “I was literally fifteen feet behind you and I saw you push that extra inch and then it all happened so fast. You were in the gravel. It was really scary.”

Marc blushed slightly. He tried to convince himself not to get caught up in Dani’s words. That was definitely not what he needed. _But people crash all the time in MotoGP..._  “Sorry. I know, it was stupid. I won’t make that mistake again.”

The older man briefly shook his head. “You don’t need to apologise but you do need to be more careful. Next time you mightn’t be so lucky to walk away with just a few bruises or scratches.”

“I don’t doubt it. Consider my lesson learned.” _In more ways than one._

There was a high pitched bing and the doors of the elevator opened out onto the fourth floor. It was dimly lit and looked a lot more different to how it looked in the light of day. Both riders stepped out and Marc briefly gestured to their right. “This way.” Dani nodded and they walked down the corridor to the very end where Marc’s room was, in complete silence. “This is me.” They came to a halt. “Do you want to come in?” The Cervera native mentally kicked himself the moment the words had left his mouth. That definitely wasn’t a good idea. Especially since his room looked like a bomb hit it.

Mercifully, Dani gave him a small smile and shook his head. “No, I’ll let you get your rest. I have a feeling Alex would have my head anyway.”

“That could very well happen.”

“So you’re really okay?”

“I’m fine,” Marc hesitated for a moment as he thought of the little baby that had set up shop inside of him. Dani’s baby. “Actually there’s something that I need to tell you…”

The older man frowned. “Go ahead.”

He opened his mouth to speak but the words just wouldn’t come out. It was probably for the best anyway. He wasn’t even certain of what he wanted to do yet and the decision had to be right for him and him alone. Marc shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll see you tomorrow?” he quickly added, opening the door with his key card that Alex had given him on the way back from the hospital.

It was easy to see that Dani was frustrated by his team-mate’s change of mind but he tried not to let it show too much. “Yeah, you will. Sleep well.” He hesitated for a moment before giving Marc a very stiff and awkward hug that was over just as fast as it had begun.

Marc stepped inside but by the time that he had turned around, Dani was already walking back down the corridor again. With a sigh, he shut the door, flicking on all the lights. It was only then that the state of his room became really obvious. _Alex wasn’t kidding._ The Honda driver started picking up random pieces of clothing but abandoned that task after only a few seconds in favour of sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Now that he was alone, the magnitude of the situation seemed to dawn on him. His room was in such a mess because of the morning sickness caused by his potential future son or daughter. That thought alone scared the life out of him. How could he cope with being the father of a little innocent child? How could he juggle his career and a baby?

Marc had to beg and plead with the doctor for her to even consider allowing him to get back on the bike at all while he was still pregnant. It was certainly dangerous but he would only go through the motions. No more podiums for him. From now on, he was competing just for the sake of competing and hoping that the points that he had already racked up so far would be enough for him to clench the title. There were five races left and all he had to do was not crash. If he won the title, it was just a bonus. Some things were easier said than done, however.

“You’ve really messed things up for me, you know. Everything was great and now… I don’t know,” Marc informed his slightly bigger stomach, prodding it gently for fear of hurting the baby. He felt a pang and realised that he shouldn’t be talking to it like that. Not when he didn’t even know what he was going to do yet. There was no point getting attached. Without removing any of the clothes that his brother had brought to the hospital for him, Marc climbed into bed turning off the light switches by the bedside locker.

Before going to sleep, he pulled out his phone and opened his Twitter app. It was probably a good idea to let everyone know he was okay himself. He had already spoken to his parents so they already knew that the accident wasn’t serious but that was about all. That would be another battle…

@marcmarquez93: Hi all! Just want to let you know that I’m okay. Just a few bruises. Thanks for the concern :)

Once that was sent, he discarded his phone on the bedside table and pulled the covers up to just below his chin. _What have I done?_


	4. It all comes down to you

Mercifully, the morning sickness didn’t seem to be so bad the next morning. Marc had even been able to sleep in until nine o’clock. It was nothing more than he deserved anyway as he had spent the majority of the night awake and contemplating the future. After a while he began to get really frustrated as he was pretty sure that he was medically exhausted but didn’t actually fall asleep until two o’clock. The young rider did however make some decisions about what way he was going to play this.

Grabbing everything he needed from the room, Marc headed downstairs to the restaurant to feed himself and the little one. Quite a few of the guys had already left (thankfully Dani was one of those) so it was quiet enough. The ones that were actually still there (Jorge, Cal, Nicky, Espargabros) told him how glad they were that he was okay and then just ate breakfast like any other morning. Alex was there too which was definitely good as Marc needed to talk to him afterwards.

A few passing jokes were made about the amount of food Marc was eating. He just laughed it off and told them that they had been starving him in the hospital and he was catching up on lost time. It was certainly nice for him to be around people whose lives were as normal as ever. They were just doing what they loved.

Once they had finished eating, Marc and Alex said goodbye to the other riders and made their way to the lobby. Marc slung his gear bag over his shoulder which warranted a curious glance from all his fellow riders but no-one asked any questions.

“Where are you going?” Alex asked with a frown once they were out of earshot.

“I’m not allowed to get back on the bike for two days so I decided that it would be best if I flew back to Barcelona so I can drop the bombshell on mom and dad. As much as I hate to admit it, there probably isn’t going to be a better time.” It was something that he had thought a lot about the previous night.

The younger Marquez’s eyes widened and he ran a hand through his hair. “Okay. Yeah, I guess you’re right. I hope it goes well for you. When will you be back?”

Marc shrugged. “Hopefully tomorrow. If they don’t keep me prisoner, that is. You know how mom gets,” he said with a smile but his attempt at humour more or less failed.

“What happened with… Dani?” It seemed like he was almost afraid to ask.

His older brother sighed, moving the strap of his bag as it dug into his shoulder. “Nothing. I almost told him about the… my situation… but I decided against it. Probably for the best anyway. He just said that he was glad I was okay and left and that was it. It was… I don’t know, weird I guess.”

Alex smiled softly. “That’s kinda understandable. So what time is your flight?”

“Twelve. There’s no point hanging around here if everyone is heading to the track so I’m just going to head there now and have a coffee while I wait. Or tea seeing as I’m actually not supposed to have coffee now apparently.”

His brother arched an eyebrow. “You googled didn’t you?”

Marc blushed slightly. “No…”

“I don’t even believe you. Just be strong when you talk to mom and dad. Don’t let them convince you of something that isn’t right for you. Even if it ends in a fight.”

The Honda rider pulled his younger brother into a hug, relishing the feeling of being in close contact with someone. “Do you really think it will come to that?”

 _I really hope not._ “Probably not. I just hope they respect your decisions.”

“Me too.”

 

Although the flight from Zaragoza to El Prat wasn’t particularly long, Marc still felt as if he had been travelling for hours by the time he finally reached his family home in Cervera. Standing in the driveway of the house he had grown up in aroused many different emotions in him. Mainly sadness at the fact that his childhood was well and truly over. If he had any innocence left after his twenty one years, it was well and truly gone with the life changing news he had been given the previous day.

Marc was about to knock on the front door when he realised how completely bizarre that was and instead pulled the handle and pushed it open. The house definitely was a lot quieter now that he and his brother weren’t constantly running around and creating havoc. It’s a miracle their parents even survived raising such vivacious boys. “Mom, dad?”

It was his mother that appeared almost instantly in the hallway, a look of pure relief and happiness on her face. “Marc!” she exclaimed and enveloped her eldest in a bone crunching hug. He had to fight the urge to protect his abdomen which scared the crap out of him. “You’re here! And you’re okay! You had us so worried! When Alex called and told us you had an accident, we thought it was serious-“ she continued to ramble on like she had on many different occasions when her boys took knocks.

Over her shoulder, Marc watched as his father appeared. He also had a look of relief on his face but it was quiet and subtle. “Hey dad.”

“It’s good to see that you’re okay. Your mother is right, you had us worried.”

He finally managed to remove himself from his mother’s grip and hugged his father. “I’m sorry about that. It was a stupid mistake. I know I was lucky.”

Julia chuckled. “Don’t say that or she’ll never let you leave the house again.”

That earned a gentle slap on the arm from his wife. “Why aren’t you in Aragón?” Roser wondered as she led her son and husband into the kitchen, turning on the kettle. “Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat?”

Marc stood awkwardly for a moment before he remembered there was no need to do so. This was his house; he may not have spent as much time there as he used to, but it was still _his_ house. He climbed up on one of the kitchen counter stools. “The doctor said that I need time to rest so I’m not allowed back on the bike until tomorrow so I decided to come visit and show you that I’m actually okay. And yes, I’m starving.”

His mother frowned. “They aren’t feeding you enough.”

“Oh don’t worry, they’re feeding me _plenty_.” _If only there wasn’t a baby inside of me taking all of my food._

This time it was his father’s turn to be concerned. “Two days? The crash must have been worse than you told us if you haven’t got and broken bones or sprains and they still won’t let you back out for two days. Did you hit your head?”

 _Oh god._ Marc felt like he was going to be sick. He hadn’t planned on telling them so quickly but he couldn’t exactly assure them that nothing was wrong and then spring _that_ on them later on. A part of him wanted to just get it over with but that didn’t mean that it would be in the slightest bit easier. His heart began to violently beat against his ribcage. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t tell them. “There’s actually something that I need to tell you…”

His mouth obviously didn’t get that message as it decided for him.

Now both his parents were equally concerned and he couldn’t blame them. It sounded fairly ominous from where he was standing. The young rider found himself contemplating what was going through their minds; brain damage, terminal illness… Roser looked went ghost white and looked like she was going to pass out. And that was before he told them…

“O-kay… go ahead…”

Marc anxiously played with his hands on the granite counter for a moment before looking up at his parents once again. _Please don’t hate me. Please don’t think I’m a failure as a son…_ “Okay. Well, there’s no easy way to say this. Don’t worry, I’m not dying. It’s nothing _that_ serious… It’s just, the doctor came across something while she was checking me out yesterday,” _They’re definitely thinking tumour,_ “Something that I didn’t even know was possible…”

“Oh for god’s sake, Marc! Just tell us please!” Roser snapped, unable to take the anxiety any longer.

“I’m pregnant.” Once again his big mouth had done the job for him though he hadn’t intended it to be so blunt and matter-of-fact. His cheeks immediately burned with embarrassment and he lowered his gaze to the work-top once more, unable to even look to see their reactions. He couldn’t deal with their reactions.

There was silence in the room for about a minute. The only sound to be heard was the little ‘click’ the kettle gave to inform them that it had finished boiling. In that period of time, Marc had convinced himself that he would be denounced as a son and banished from the house. It was the most awful minute of his life. The MotoGP rider just wanted to take back what he’d said. It wasn’t until he heard his mother crying that he actually dared to look up. Both of his parents looked shocked, but his mother’s expression was mixed with something else… relief???

Julia wrapped his arms around his wife as she sobbed. “I thought you were dying! You scared me so much!” she barely managed to chastise him as she became completely inconsolable.

Marc frowned, trying to come to terms with what was actually happening. Was she crying because she was afraid he was dying or because she was so bitterly disappointed in him? It was the fact that it appeared to be the former that really threw him. It certainly wasn’t the reaction he had been expecting. “Sorry…?” he offered warily, not knowing what else to say.

Roser freed herself of her husband’s grasp and threw her arms around her son, still bawling. “You’re not dying?”

He patted her awkwardly on the back, still feeling completely ill-equipped to deal with this turn of events. “No mom, I promise you that I am not dying. I’m just having a baby.” _Just._

“My baby is having a baby!” she wailed and then Marc was completely gone. He had no idea what to do with this. He had come prepared for shouting not crying. The twenty one year old quickly looked to his father, who looked quite amused shockingly, and mouthed the word ‘help’.

Julia generously obliged, prising his wife’s arms from around their son. “He won’t be any more if you squeeze it out of him.”

It turned out she needed such confirmation to even contemplate ceasing her sobbing. Roser looked at her son, a watery smile now spread on her face. “You’re having a baby?”

Marc nodded and exhaled sharply. “Yeah. I know, I can’t really believe it myself. I have to admit, this wasn’t really the reaction I was expecting…”

His father frowned. “What _were_ you expecting?”

“Honestly? To be kicked out and told never to come back again,” he said plainly and anxiously ran a hand through his hair, thinking it could very well still happen.

Roser gasped and began to tear up once again. “You’re our son- our first born son! We wouldn’t do that to you!”

“There’s other families that would…”

Julia nodded. “Maybe, but we’re not other families. We love you, Marc. Whether you’re pregnant or not…” he hesitated for a moment, leaning back against the sink, “Who’s the other father.”

Marc coughed anxiously. He definitely wasn’t looking forward to this bit. “It’s, em, it’s Dani…”

“Dani Pedrosa?!”

“Yeah, that Dani. But he doesn’t know… yet. Or ever. I don’t even know what I’m going to do yet. I mean, I’m only twenty one and my MotoGP career has barely begun and I don’t know how a baby is going to affect that.”

His mother stared at him for a moment, a soft smile playing on her face. “You’re not going to get rid of that baby, Marc.”

If it wasn’t for her expression, he would have thought that was a threat. Marc exchanged a curious glance with his father before looking back to his mother. He now sat straighter in the chair. “What do you mean?” Surely it was his decision whether or not he wanted to keep the baby. He hadn’t even decided that himself.

“I know you. If you really wanted to get rid of it, you would have booked an appointment and went to the clinic instead of coming here to us. You’ve always loved kids and I don’t think you’re going to get rid of your own just because it’s inconvenient.”

Marc said nothing for a moment. Instead, he just stared at his mother trying to figure out if what she said was true or not. Realistically, could he ever see himself getting rid of it? Did he already think of it as a tiny human being? Did he… love it? The currently miniscule thing that he and Dani had created together? Once again, he looked to his father waiting for him to give him some kind of indication that what Roser had said was complete nonsense but he got nothing of the sort. Instead, Julia just crossed his arms and shrugged, a knowing smile on his face.

It frustrated Marc to no end. How could they know these things about him when he didn’t even know himself? It really wasn’t fair. The Honda rider wanted to tell them that they were wrong and that he could do whatever he wanted but then something happened. He thought of that little new born baby in his arms, barely able to keep his or her eyes open. He thought of Alex doting over his niece or nephew. He thought of how he or she would be a perfect mix of him and Dani…

“You’re right.” The statement that left his mouth was barely a whisper.

Roser smiled proudly and took her husband by the hand. “I always am. You’ll know how it feels someday.”

_I guess I will._


	5. Negotiations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy with all the response this story has gotten so far! You guys are the absolute best! Sorry about the lack of updating; just got back from my holidays but everything should be back on track now!

As much as Marc wanted to stay in the comfort of his own home where he had nothing to hide, he knew that he had to return to Aragón. It felt so nice to have his mother take care of him again. She cooked for him whenever he was hungry (which was a lot), soothingly played with his hair when he was sprawled out on the couch the next morning as he tried his best not to throw up again and even went to the shop to get him some kind of herbal tea that she drank when she was pregnant to counteract the morning sickness. It was bliss, but it had to end.

With a gear bag now full of tea, he headed to the airport once again, armed with some serious advice from his father. Marc was sad to leave his home town behind. He knew reality would kick in once again the minute he touched down in Zaragoza. He would have to ask a lot of himself with the race quickly approaching and the prospect of it was more than a little bit scary.

When he arrived back at the hotel just after five, he was not alone. Right by his side was, as strongly recommended by Julia, his lawyer. It was time to bring the team up to date with what was going on. The Honda rider wasn’t too fond of the idea of going in all guns blazing but it was realistically the only way to ensure that he got his desired result. Mikel had been filled in on every little detail which unnerved Marc. It seemed almost too clinical, so far removed from what he believed was actually happening. Nevertheless, it was a necessary procedure.

Shortly after they arrived, the rest of the teams started returning from the track after a day’s testing. And thankfully (or not so much depending on what way he looked at it), the Repsol Honda people were some of the first back. Marc and Mikel waited patiently in the lobby until Shuhei Nakamoto returned. The former cringed when he saw that he was chatting animatedly with none other than Dani. Marc and his lawyer stood, much like Dani had two nights ago.

The Honda team principal smiled widely when he saw his other driver had returned. “Marc! Good to see you’re back!” That smile faltered, however, when his eyes wandered to the suited middle aged man by his Marc’s side.

Marc dared cast a brief glance at his team-mate and saw that he looked incredibly confused, standing off to the side slightly seemingly in two minds as to whether he should go or stay. “It’s good to be back.”

“Mr. Nakamoto, it’s nice to see you again,” Mikel swiftly shook the team principal’s hand.

The twenty one year old stiffened slightly. “You know my lawyer, Mikel.”

“Yes, I do…” Shuhei said warily, “What can we do for you?” It was easy to tell from his wary tone of voice that he was convinced the team was getting sued or something along those lines.

“My client was wondering if there was somewhere that we could go to have a private discussion.”

The team principal frowned and reluctantly nodded. “I’m sure we can arrange that.”

 

_What the hell is going on?_ That was the first thing Dani thought when he watched Marc, Nakamoto and Marc’s lawyer disappear in the elevator. He stayed rooted to the spot for over a minute, physically unable to move a muscle. Marc brought his lawyer? His mind immediately told him it was something to do with the crash. Contract negotiations were quickly ruled out as Marc was already signed up for another few years. As well as that, their team principal seemed completely shocked by the request.

Was the accident really the team’s fault? That was the only conclusion that Dani could come to. He immediately felt a sense of fear; not that he could have the same problem with his bike but that Marc would ultimately end up leaving the team. Dani didn’t know where that fear had come from but it was certainly making its presence known. No matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to shake it.

“Dani?” his attention was quickly pulled back to his current surroundings by the sound of a familiar voice calling his name from behind him. The MotoGP rider swivelled quickly only to find Alex, Marquez number 2, standing there, an almost wary expression on his face. “Alex, hey.”

“Have you seen my brother anywhere? He’s supposed to be back from Barcelona already…”

“Yeah, actually. I just saw him. He’s now in a meeting with Nakamoto… and his lawyer,” he was surprised by how dry his voice sounded.

That obviously made sense to the youngest Marquez as his eyes widened and a look of realisation mixed with something else (fear?) set in on his face. “Oh.”

Dani decided to just lay his cards on the table. There was no point being cute about it. “What’s going on, Alex? You obviously know something.”

Alex hesitated for a moment. He needed to think quickly to come up with a plausible explanation. He wracked his brains for a moment. “Just some things he needs to sort out before the end of the season. I had forgotten that he mentioned it to me last week,” _Good one, make it seem like it was planned_ before _the crash,_ “Nothing major, don’t worry.” That was possibly _the_ biggest lie Alex had ever told.

Dani frowned. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. You don’t need to worry. See you later!” the younger brother of his team-mate quickly bid him goodbye and ran for the elevator whose doors had mercifully just opened. Once safely inside, Alex released the breath that he hadn’t even known he was holding. One thing he knew for sure was that his brother was going to have to work hard if he wanted to keep the whole thing a secret from his team-mate.

 

“Pregnant?”

Shuhei was, understandably, astounded by the declaration. It was certainly nothing less than Marc had expected but it wasn’t exactly more either. He nodded. “Yes. Just under three months along.” It felt so completely weird to say that out loud in a professional environment. Well, it was just the three of them but it still felt like a massive feat.

The team principal remained silent for a moment, evidently trying to think of something to say. “And you found this out after the crash? Or before the crash.”

“After the crash. I had absolutely no idea. I mean, I had been experiencing some morning sickness for over a week,” that wasn’t exactly the truth, “but obviously I never even dreamed that I could be _pregnant_.”

“And that’s why you went to Barcelona?”

“Yes.”

Shuhei looked to Mikel who seemed to be even more serious than ever. “And that’s why you’re here?”

Marc blushed at that. “Actually, that was my father’s idea but, ultimately, yes.”

The team principal stared his driver down for a moment leaving out a sigh and sitting back in his seat, resting his hands on the boardroom table. “Well I guess I could ask you questions all day but I think it’s best for us to all be frank. Tell me what you want.”

The young rider frowned. He’d certainly expected a bigger reaction than that. He hadn’t got anything yet, but it didn’t seem like it was going to turn into a massive battle. Which was good. _Better than anything I could have expected._ Marc glanced briefly at Mikel who merely nodded in encouragement. “Okay. I want to ride until the end of the season and come back after the baby is born. I want to be _assured_ that I will be coming back.”

“You want to continue _riding_? While you’re pregnant? Marc, you wiped out the other day. So, you were lucky; what happens when you’re not so lucky next time?”

“Yes, but the difference is I _know_ I’m pregnant now. It’s not only me that I need to look out for. I’ll be extra careful. Realistically, I’m not going to win any more races this season but I’m confident that I can at least make the top seven. Keep adding to my points and hope it will be enough to get me the championship. I’ll go through the motions but I won’t hesitate to concede a place if I think battling for it will be dangerous.”

Nakamoto paused for a moment, leaning on his forearms once again. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t think that’s going to fly. We can say that you’re injured. You don’t have to tell the world that you’re pregnant. We’ll have you back next season and then everything can go back to the way it was. You can take the next two months off and we can get a replace-“

“No. You see, that’s not going to fly with _me_. It’s my body and it’s my baby and you need to trust that I have thought about this a lot. I’ve talked to the doctor and I’ve talked to my parents. There’s five races left and I won’t train as much as I have. I’ll wear extra padding just in case. _I need this._ If I leave now, I’m afraid I’ll lose hope and won’t come back at all. Nothing will feel finished. I’m going to be a father and I accept that now but I’m also a rider. It’s in my blood.”

Thea Repsol Honda team principal shook his head in disbelief. “You understand that this is dangerous? You said the other day that the crash was your fault because you were reckless. Well, I’m sorry to tell you but this is completely reckless. You said you wouldn’t push it so far again. This is pushing it too far. You know I have the upmost respect for you, Marc, but how would you feel if you crashed- because sometimes it’s unavoidable- and lost the baby? Would you ever be able to forgive yourself? Tell me _that_ wouldn’t ruin your career.”

Silence overcame the room as Shuhei let that sink in for his rider. Marc was angry; not because he wasn’t getting what he wanted, but because he knew his team principal was right. As much as it pained him to admit it, he was right. What he was asking for was stupid. Alex had become dubious, his parents even more so but they respected his decision but that was only because he was completely sure it was what he wanted. Now, not so much.

Nakamoto sighed once again, a look of sympathy on his face. He hated to see something like that happen to a rider with such incredible potential who would have without a doubt taken the title if he was able to contest the last few races. It had to be hard for the twenty one year old to come to terms with. All he knew was riding and winning for so long.

“Your seat will be waiting here for you when you come back. That’s not the issue. You’re nearly three months now? By the time the season finishes, you’ll be five. Have your baby and come back next season when you’re ready. Tell you what, and you have to realise that I am doing this with the upmost reluctance, I’ll let you do this race if you’re spectacularly careful. After that you ‘pick up an injury’.”

Admittedly, it was as much (if not more) than he could have hoped for but Marc still felt disappointed. But that was only natural, wasn’t it? Riding was his life. Marc sighed. There was nothing more he could get. “Okay. I’m willing to accept that.”

“Of course, my client will need to get this assurance that he will retain his seat next season in writing.”

“Of course. I’ll have my legal team draw up the contract tonight,” the team principal said with a smile. Something occurred to him and he frowned, pausing pensively for a moment. “Do you mind me asking… about the father? Is that going to be a problem?”

Marc suddenly found himself sitting up straighter. He had told himself if they asked he would answer truthfully, but it really didn’t seem that easy. There was nothing to be gained by lying, especially if the truth came out eventually, but that didn’t make it any easier. The young rider coughed awkwardly, trying to buy some time.

Nakamoto arched an eyebrow at that. A wary expression took the place of his smile. “It’s someone in the paddock, isn’t it?” Marc nodded. _I have nothing to gain by denying it._ “Another rider?” Another nod. “Okay. So am I going to have to set up a meeting with the other team?”

“No. Because the father doesn’t know that he’s going to be a father. Yet,” he added, not wanting to draw another lecture on himself. “And, anyway, it is very unnecessary to set up a meeting with _another_ team…”

That statement had the intended effect as the Repsol team principal contemplated it for a moment before his jaw dropped. The look of pure shock on his face was actually quite amusing. _Surprise! You just found out that you have one gay driver and now you have_ two _! And then there’s the baby to boot…_ “Oh. _Oh._ I see.” Well that had the potential to become v _ery_ awkward.

“I’m sure you can understand that this is a delicate situation so I would very much appreciate it if you could keep the whole pregnancy thing quiet. Especially from… until I decide to tell him.”

“Of course. You have my word. In fact, for now, the less people that know, the better. Well, gentlemen, I guess that’s about it? Unless there’s something else that you would like to tell me?” _Please don’t let that be the case. This is enough to handle as it is._

Marc smiled, wanting to show his team principal that he was appreciative of the whole thing. “No, that’s all. For now anyway,” he chuckled. He and his lawyer shook hands with Shuhei before heading for the door. _About time. I’m starving again._

“Oh, and Marc?”

The twenty one year old stuck his head back inside the door after hearing his boss call him. “Yeah?”

Shuhei smiled mischievously. “Congratulations. I’ve seen the way you are with Alex; you’ll make a good father. And if you ever decide to tell him, you can pass my congratulations on to the other father too.”

Marc couldn’t help but smile. “Tell you what, how about I pass your congratulations on and you pass _my_ congratulations on?” With that he was gone.

The Repsol team principal chuckled to himself. _I have to admit it, that kid has definitely got style._


	6. I need you like I've never done before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as per the prompt, this story is set in the 2013 season and adheres pretty rigidly to that... the one problem is I used the character's (mainly Alex, Marc and Dani) current ages (18,21,28)... Sorry about that! Let's just pretend, huh?

“Marc! You’re back!”

He didn’t know how to feel when he arrived in the restaurant to find that _everybody_ was there. Sure, he felt a lot lighter, if disappointed, after getting everything sorted out but it still felt weird for him. _At least I still have a job. That’s always a plus._ Marc still thought it was remarkable that everyone else’s lives were just normal. It was business as usual for them. He felt as if too much had change for him to able to act normally and yet he could.

All eyes were suddenly on him. Marc pulled up the zip on his sweater self-consciously, scared that his stomach was noticeable. Okay, he was only three months but he just had a feeling that the others would be able to guess, as crazy as that sounded. After all, they were all seriously fit. “Hey. Mind if I join you?”

Without waiting for an answer, he pulled out the only spare chair at the end of the table and sat down next to Aleix. Pol was, unsurprisingly, sat on the other side of his brother. In fact, it would be far more shocking if he came across the Aleix one day and Pol _wasn’t_ by his side. For all his teasing, Marc knew that he acted the very same with his brother. In fact, Aleix was a bit of a role model for him.

“How was Cervera? It must have been nice to go home. Although it’s definitely not good that you crashed.”

The young Honda rider was glad it was Aleix he was sat beside. He got along really well with almost everyone but the eldest Espargaró was so easy to talk to. “It was great. Relaxing. Nice to get away from this circus for a day!”

They began to chat about small and menial things and it was so nice and refreshing. _I should make a habit of talking to Aleix and Pol._ Sometime during the conversation, however, he looked over and his eyes met Dani’s from across the other side of the table. Marc was surprised (and worried and thrilled and everything in between) to find that his team-mate had been watching him. Dani’s gaze was intense and his expression almost wounded, and it confused his former lover to no end. _Please don’t look at me like that. Not when I’m struggling to find a good reason not to tell you that I’m having your child._

“Marc?” He looked around suddenly when he heard his name being called and saw that both Aleix and Pol were looking at him expectantly. Oh crap. They had been still talking to him. He had completely checked out of that conversation the minute Dani had caught his eye.

“Huh? Oh, sorry, I just got a little bit distracted. What were you saying?”

Thankfully, the Espargarós didn’t seem too fazed by his lapse of concentration and continued on as if they had never been interrupted. _Why were you looking at me like that?_

 

“How was your meeting?” Marc had been washing his hands in the bathroom when a familiar voice caused him to nearly jump a mile into the air. He looked into the mirror and was relieved to see that his brother was the one standing behind him.

Marc frowned. “How did you know about that?”

“ _Dani_ told me.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

The MotoGP rider sighed and turned off the tap. “I knew he was suspicious of something. The way he was looking at me in the lobby and then in the restaurant…”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, that just about describes him in the lobby. I had to convince him that everything was fine and you were just ironing out some details before the end of the season.”

“Well, I guess that’s not far from the truth,” Marc replied lowly as he dried his hands with a paper towel before throwing it in the bin and turning to face his brother.

“You need to tell me everything that happened. From Barcelona to that meeting room.”

Marc made sure that the bathroom was absolutely deserted before he began to recount the tale of everything that had transpired since the last time they spoke; which, admittedly, was a lot. He spoke about telling their parents and their reactions, his decision to keep the baby- which warranted a massive celebration and a hug from Alex- and basically the whole conversation with Shuhei.

“He was right, you know. You’re lucky he’s even giving you this race. If it was me in charge, I’d have you sent back to Barcelona already.”

Marc grimaced. He would have at least expected his brother to be on his side especially as he had said at the beginning that Marc could continue to race. “Gee, thanks Alex,” his voice was dripping in sarcasm.

Alex rolled his eyes and shot his brother a look that said ‘am I the older one or are you?’. “You know what I meant. Riding is too dangerous. You could lose the baby, Marc,” he voice lowered for the last part and he looked around as if someone would hear him.

“I know! It just sucks to have the one thing that I love and do every day taken away from me. I don’t know what I’m going to do while I’m waiting to pop this kid out. I’m going to go absolutely crazy.” _That is not something I’m looking forward to._

The younger Marquez grinned. It was nice to see his brother coming to terms with what was happening to him. “You can always stay around. Maybe be my personal assistant?” he chuckled which earned an elbow in the ribs from Marc, “I’m sure the team won’t mind you staying around and doing other things.”

That sounded good on paper but there were technicalities that they had to consider. “They’re planning on saying that I’m injured; people aren’t going to believe that if I’m walking around the paddock every day.”

“We’ll put a sling on you. No-one will even know the difference.”

“Fine but what about when I start to show? How will we explain that one? I’m just getting fat?”

A warning glance accompanied the question that dared Alex to comment on that last bit at his peril. _I’m going to have to be very careful what I say around you from now on._ Pregnancy was turning him into a bit of a bitch.“Wear baggy clothes. I hear black is very slimming. You’ll only be at most five months gone and you’re really small as it is so I don’t think it will be much of a problem.”

“I’ll see. I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow, never mind two months’ time.” _But I think that sounds like a really good idea. Maybe I’ll stay on as a consultant or something. But would it be weird helping the guy that’s replacing me?_

“What about Dani? When are you planning on telling him?”

Ah, there it is. Yet again. Marc sighed and leaned back against the countertop. “I almost told him the night I got back from the hospital. I want to and then I just… can’t. The problem is, I like him. I _really_ like him and I know that the second I tell him that I’m having his baby, it will never be the same.”

Alex frowned. He’d known Marc had a major crush on Dani but he never realised just how much he liked him. “That’s not how I see it at all. If you like him that much you have more to gain by telling him than you do by hiding it. And there’s more chance of him returning your feelings if you’re straight with him than if he has to find out from someone else.”

“You’re being naïve, Alex! I’m just a kid in his eyes. I was just some fun for him,” the words came out more forcefully than he had intended and they echoed around the bathroom. Marc immediately regretted being so blunt with his brother but didn’t do anything to remedy it. Instead, he wearily rubbed his face with his hand.

“You just have to take one look at him to realise that isn’t true,” Alex’s words were soft and gentle and he definitely didn’t deserve to be treated so delicately, “I saw how concerned he was today. For god’s sake, he waited over an hour for you to come back from the hospital in the lobby so he could see if you were okay. He cares, Marc. Just give him the chance to show you.”

 _It’s not that easy. It can’t be that easy._ “I don’t even know. I think I’m going to tell him next week. I just-“ He stopped in his tracks when the door to the bathroom suddenly opened. Thankfully it was Aleix and not Dani. That could have gotten _very_ awkward.

“Oh there you are! We were getting worried that you like fainted or something. The guys sent me to look for you.”

Marc smiled fondly at his fellow rider. “No, just filling Alex in on all the gossip back in Cervera. Or the lack of gossip. Nothing really happens there. Here is the place to be,” he chuckled.

“Oh, okay. Well we’re just about to order dessert now if you would like?”

 _Ooh, desert. I_ would _like._ “Yes! I had the tiramisu here the other day and it was amazing.” _Great, now I’m hungry again. Baby is going to make me fat._

Alex resisted the urge to laugh at his brother. This pregnancy really was going to be funny. Or terrifying. He hadn’t quite decided which one yet. “Mind if I join?”

“Of course not, almost namesake! Now hurry because _some people_ are starting to get grouchy.” With that, Aleix was gone once again and the Marquez brothers quickly followed after him. That was mainly because Marc was now really set on having desert.

_This could come in handy. If I ever need to distract him, I’ll just mention profiteroles._

There were quite a few jokes about how long Marc had been gone when they arrived back at the table but they died down quickly once they all saw Alex. Usually if the Honda rider disappeared, his brother had something to do with it. Marc retook his seat at the table and Alex pulled up a chair and sat down beside him. The latter immediately locked eyes with Dani who had been watching his brother once again. The older Honda rider looked away instantly, however, and Alex could have sworn he saw him blush.

They all ordered dessert and, unfortunately, alcohol. Marc ordered a beer, fearing that not doing so would only draw suspicion upon him. Thankfully, once the drinks arrived, Alex shot him a reassuring look and immediately got to drinking his own bottle. _He’s going to drink mine too. Mom is so going to kill me if she finds out about this._ Okay, Alex was officially eighteen but it wasn’t a good idea to get him drunk the night before practice. He was still a lightweight.

Marc had to admit that it was like a scene from a movie. He would go through the motions; raise the bottle to his lips, stick his tongue over the top of the bottle so none actually came out, pretended to swallow and put it back down again. Within ten minutes, however, Alex had the majority of his bottle drank.

He winked discreetly at his older brother. “Which one is mine again?”

Marc caught on quickly and picked up his own still full bottle, handing it to him. “This one. You’re a really slow drinker,” he said with a wry smile and knew that Alex was resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

After another fifteen minutes, the guys were ready to order another round. Marc yawned and it was genuine and most definitely not orchestrated. It had been a really long three days and he felt like he needed to sleep for about a week to recover properly. “Not for me. I’m going to bed. I didn’t really get much sleep last night,” he rose to his feet before anyone could object.

Alex noticed a look of contemplation on Dani’s face and decided to act quickly. He also stood. “I’ll walk with you. I have to get that team jacket I left in your room the other day anyway. Though I doubt I’ll actually be able to find it in that place.”

“Be quiet. See you all in the morning.” Pleasantries were briefly exchanged before the brothers left the restaurant. Marc instantly turned to Alex, eyebrow arched in silent question.

He chuckled. “I thought Dani was going to volunteer to go with you. I decided to act before we could find out.”

 _Have I ever told you how much I love you?_ “I’m actually going to owe you so much by the time that all of this is over.”

“Maybe if you have a boy you can name him after me?” the younger of the two suggested playfully.

 _There’s a thought. My baby is going to be a boy or a girl. It’s going to be a person and it’s going to have a name._ “Too many Alexes already.”


	7. Another good reason to get it right

For all his fight, Marc actually felt… nervous when he stepped inside the garage for the beginning of practice the next morning. He had expected to feel disappointed that it was his last race for months or even happy that he got to get back on the bike one last time but he just… didn’t. It was a strange experience for him, a guy that had been riding motorbikes since he was four years old.

His team were glad to have him back and, thankfully, didn’t seem to know that it wasn’t permanently. That was for the best, Marc decided, he didn’t need any more eyes on him than absolutely necessary.

“Marc?”

He looked up from where he had been appraising his bike to see one of his mechanics standing there with a pair of leathers in his hand. “Yeah?”

“Shuhei gave me these to give to you. Said that yours were shredded in the crash.”

For what seemed like the first time that morning, Marc smiled genuinely. He had around four pairs in his dressing room and something told him that these ones were slightly different. “They were. Thank you,” he took the racing suit from him, “I better get changed so we can get out.”

Marc laughed out of sheer happiness when he pulled on the new leathers and found that they fit him perfectly. The zip pulled up with ease and he had full use of his limbs once again. That managed to boost his confidence quite a bit, as if he had one less thing to worry about and the Honda rider instantly felt better. “Thank you, Shuhei.”

There was a knock on the door. “Yeah?” he called, hoping it would be loud enough for whoever was there to hear.  Apparently it was as the door slowly opened. Marc had expected to see one of his team or, admittedly, even Dani standing there but it wasn’t. It was his wonderful brother. “Oh, hey.”

Alex gave him a smile and closed the door. He was still in his leathers after the Moto3 practice. “I thought I’d see you at breakfast this morning but you were nowhere to be found. I was worried.”

“Sorry,” the older of the two said apologetically. He should have known Alex would have been worried. “I just got up earlier than I usually do and ate earlier than I usually do,” he placed his hand over his abdomen, “the little one was obviously feeling particularly gracious this morning. I only threw up once.”

Alex beamed. He honestly thought the fact that his brother was having a baby was incredible. Especially since Marc was being so cute about it. He changed his mind, maybe pregnancy did suit him? Well, to a certain extent anyway. “That’s good. You excited to get back out there?”

“I guess. It just… feels different. This is the last time I’m going to race until March or even April. I need to make it count.”

His younger brother frowned. “Don’t push too hard, remember. It’s not worth it just to get some points.”

“I know. Trust me, I know. I just didn’t think I would feel like this. I’m… a bit scared. It’s stupid because I’ve been racing all of my life. I shouldn’t be scared…”

“Why shouldn’t you? You have more to lose now than you ever did before. If I was you I would be scared. In fact, if you weren’t scared, I’d tell Nakamoto not to put you out on the bike. You should be scared.”

Marc scoffed. “Yeah, thanks for the support,” he said sharply as he turned to look at himself in the mirror once again. In these leathers, he barely noticed the difference he said seen in his old ones.

Alex rolled his eyes. _Maybe pregnancy doesn’t suit him after all._ “Come on, Marc. You know what I mean.

 _I know._ “Yeah, I guess I do. I better get out there. They’re probably going to come look for me in a minute anyway.”

Alex said goodbye to him there and wished him luck before he went to meet with his team. Marc took a deep breath, trying to collect himself as much as possible before he made his way to the front of the garage. _I can do this. I just have to go out, set a good time and come back in._ He rolled his shoulders, trying to loosen up. “Okay, I’m ready to go. Let’s get back out there,” he said enthusiastically to his team and headed for the bike.

“Not yet. We’re on strict orders from the boss not to let you out for the first couple of laps.”

 _Are you kidding me? I’m ready to go_ now _. If I have to sit here for ten minutes I might lose my nerve._ “What? No! Let’s get out now and set a good time!” When would it be more dangerous? At the beginning when the riders are just testing the water or when they’re coming under pressure?

His team exchanged nervous glances. “I’m sorry, but those are the orders for some reason. We’re sending Dani out first and then you.”

Marc scowled. He knew he wouldn’t be able to change their minds. Not without having to explain why such orders had been given. He could put up a fight but decided against it. The last thing the pregnant rider needed was to create a scene and draw unwanted attention upon himself. Without saying another word, Marc made his way to the back of the garage to sit down just in time to watch Dani leave the pits on the screen.

He was enraged by the way his heart fluttered ever so slightly any time he laid eyes on his team-mate. Why did he have to be so attracted to Dani? It seemed to be the root of all his problems. But there really was no explaining it. Dani was Dani; that was enough.

Marc felt his mood darken gradually as he watched the older rider. Alex had tried to convince him the previous day that Dani cared about him but he couldn’t reconcile that notion with reality. If Dani actually liked him, why had they barely spoken outside of meetings and press conferences in over a month? It was a stupid thought; he already knew the answer: _because you pushed him away._ It still didn’t make him feel any better. _I’m still having your baby._

The minutes ticked by and Marc began to feel increasingly restless. He rose from his seat and began to walk around the garage, hoping it would start to annoy the engineers and they would just send him out. When he saw Dani pull back in, he became extremely worried. _Are they planning on putting me out at all? At this stage I’ll be in last place!_ He couldn’t help but wonder if that was part of Nakamoto’s plan. Get him in leathers and make him think that he’s going to ride but never actually put him out.

Just as that thought began to run wild in his head, he was called to get on the bike. Although he was surprised, Marc definitely didn’t need to be asked twice. He pulled his helmet on before swiftly mounting the bike. It felt weird that it had been two days since he’d last ridden. All the parts of his protective head gear were quickly secured and he was brought out into the pit lane.

“Do five laps and come back in. I mean it, Marc. No more than five. You won’t get a better chance to set a good time,” his engineer warned him.

Five laps? He would hardly have enough time to fit in a really good lap. Something suddenly hit him as he watched the activity in the pit lane. Most of the riders were coming in. He was being sent out while the other drivers were coming in. That’s why Nakamoto had been so insistent that he wait; he wanted to send Marc out when the least number of drivers possible were on the track and then take him in before it got busy again. He was trying to limit the chances of him being involved in an accident.

Marc found himself nodding, though he wasn’t completely happy with the situation. It was all in his best interest. It was all in the best interest of him _and_ his unborn child. Satisfied with that, his engineer tapped the back of the bike and the rider revved the engine a few times before setting off.

He was shocked to find that everything was the exact same. He had the same mentality as always, the same drive and that was dangerous in the long term but for this race, it was fine. Marc decided he could manage it, he just had to be careful not to push too hard. The first lap passed in a blur. He only passed Nicky and Stefan going around. The second there were one or two more but it didn’t really make a difference. The thrill that he usually had was still there, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Before he knew it, he was finishing his fifth lap and pulled into the pits once again. His team were there waiting and he was swiftly brought into the garage. Marc felt increasingly nervous. Would it be enough or would he be relegated to the back of the grid? He killed the engine and dismounted before removing his helmet. His engineer and Shuhei were there waiting for him. _Not a good sign._ “How did I do?”

The team principal crossed his arms, face more or less indifferent. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

Oh god, that was code for very slow. Marc deposited his helmet on top of the bike and made his way over to the technical screen with all the times and standings on it. He decided to start from the bottom and work his way up so that he would be happy instead of disappointed. His heartbeat increased as his eyes travelled further and further north. No… No way…

“Yes! I was the fastest! I’m still kicking ass even though I’m… I haven’t been on the bike in two days!” Marc exclaimed gleefully, having to stop himself mid-sentence. He punched the air triumphantly. He may not be at the top by the end of the session, but it certainly put him in a good position.

Shuhei smiled and clapped him on the back. “Well done. And nice save,” he whispered the second part so that no-one else would hear.

Marc didn’t really care. He was just so happy that he had managed to go fastest. It gave him the confidence he had been lacking going into the session but it also made him remember that this would be his last MotoGP outing for a while. The rest he would have to watch on tv.

The twenty one year old intently watched the rest of the session and was even happier when no-one managed to top his time. The only person to come close was, funnily enough, Dani. Satisfied that he had done a relatively good job, Marc made his way back to the dressing room so that he could snack on the crackers he had brought with him. Something he hadn’t counted on, however, was him running into his team-mate in the corridor. In fact, they almost had a collision as neither had really been watching where they were going.

“Oh!” Dani quickly put his hands on Marc’s arms to steady the both of them. He hadn’t realised who it was until he felt the leather beneath his fingertips. He instantly looked up, eyes falling on his former lover. “Hey,” the older man greeted his team-mate with a soft smile.

Marc couldn’t exactly return the smile. For many reasons. “Hi.”

“So, um, well done on that lap. It was insane.”

 _God, this is so awkward._ The twenty one year old anxiously ran his hand through his hair. They had to talk some time or other. It was bound to happen. Marc just didn’t really fancy it being until he was ready to tell Dani about the baby. “Oh, thanks. Yeah, I was pretty surprised. Especially since I didn’t spend too long out there…”

Dani cocked his head to the side, expression darkening slightly. “Yeah. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah… I’m perfectly fine.”

“It’s just that you missed the last two days and yesterday you came back from Barcelona with your lawyer… You’re not leaving, are you?”

If Marc didn’t know better, he could have sworn his team-mate sounded very concerned. He actually wasn’t surprised that was the conclusion he had jumped to. “No, I’m not leaving. There were just some things I needed to discuss before the end of the season. Technicalities and everything…”

“Yeah, that’s what Alex said. But I just thought… you know.”

 _I know. On both accounts._ “Yeah, I know…”

There was an incredibly awkward moment between the two of them and Marc wanted nothing more to just get out of there. It really couldn’t get any more painful than it already was. He was just about to make his excuses but Dani beat him to it. “You hungry? I’m going to head for lunch now if you want to come?”

 _Oh god, please no._ What exactly could he say? He didn’t really have a good excuse to say no. Plus, he was actually quite hungry. And Marc couldn’t avoid his team-mate forever. _I’m going to regret this._ “Yeah, I guess.”

He tried not to read into the fact that Dani’s smile brightened considerably. It was like he was expecting a negative answer. “Great! So how about we get changed and meet at the front of the garage when we’re done?”

“Sounds good.” _This is so not a good idea._


	8. Falling right back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing to follow this story! I'm not exactly happy with this chapter but it's really just to get things moving.

Marc couldn’t have been more surprised at how lunch went. At the beginning, it was just plain awkward. They ordered their food (Mark elected to have a side serving of chips with his pasta dish, earning a curious look from Dani) and made awkward small talk. After a few minutes, however, things rapidly began to change. Dani said something that made his team-mate laugh and all the awkwardness seemed to suddenly dissipate. It was quite remarkable.

The older rider grinned at the fact that he had managed to brighten his team-mate’s mood. It was definitely a step in the right direction anyway. “There is it.”

Marc frowned and took a sip of his water. “What?”

“Your smile.”

_This is seriously confusing._ “My smile?”

Dani nodded. “Yeah. It seems like I haven’t seen it in a while.” _I missed it. You don't even know how much._

_That’s because you haven’t._ Marc really concentrated on putting his glass back down on the table. To be perfectly honest, he missed being his usual smiley self. Hopefully once this race was over and he didn’t feel like he had so much to hide, he could go back to his usual non-angsty self. “I know what you mean. Things have just been a little crazy lately.” Understatement of the century.

“Well, I’m glad that it’s back again,” Dani said with a smile that broke Marc’s heart. It reminded him so much of how he got into this situation in the first place. _You’ve changed me forever and you don’t even know it._ Strangely, Marc was actually okay with that.

"Me too."

They caught up on everything that had happened in the other’s life for that past month when they had practically no contact (with huge censorship on Marc’s side of course) and discussed the race and his outrageous lap time. It almost seemed like nothing had changed and he found himself letting go of all the stress that he hadn’t even known he had been under for the past few days. His heart began to swell once again with affection for the father of his unborn child and even though he knew that was dangerous, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

That affection only grew more as Dani saw Marc eyeing up his leftover Parma chicken and graciously offered it to him. Without a moment’s hesitation, the younger man took him up on that offer, making short work of it. It seemed like the way to his heart was now through his stomach. _This is what it could be like all the time._  We _could be like this all the time._ Marc hated his traitorous mind. Just when he was feeling some bit emotionally stable, it would throw thoughts like that at him and completely confuse him once again. 

“I’m just going to grab something from my room…” Marc said as they were just leaving the restaurant. They had time; the moto2 session hadn’t even finished yet so there wasn’t really any need to rush.

“I’ll come with you.”

_Why doesn’t that surprise me?_ He wasn’t as anxious about it as he was two days ago but it still gave him butterflies in his stomach. Or maybe that was for a different reason… The elevator ride up to the fourth floor was just as easy and pleasant as lunch had been and all of Marc’s nerves seemed to disappear. This was a guy that he had known for ages. They had been friends and then more than friends and then less… Nothing that Dani did could surprise him anymore.

Marc was definitely glad as he put the key card into the door that he had thought it a good idea to tidy his room up a bit that morning. It wasn’t spotless but it was more or less acceptable for your average person and much better than the bomb site that it had been. The young rider went ahead to look for his phone, which he had managed to forget that morning and Dani followed behind, shutting the door softly. If the room was tidy before, it certainly was a lot less tidy as he practically tore the place apart looking for it. Bags were emptied, clothes were tossed around, furniture was moved...

Dani removed his phone from his pocket. “How about I just ring it?” he asked with a wry smile.

Marc immediately stopped what he was doing. “You couldn’t have suggested that _before_ I made a mess of the place?”

The older man chuckled and began searching for the number. “You looked like you were having fun…”

“I’ll show you fun in a minute! Ring the damn thing!”

Dani did as he was told and the two of them remained silent for a moment as the phone began ringing. The sound was muffled and Marc suddenly remembered one place he didn’t look. He dived down on top of the bed and stuck his hand down between the edge and the bedside locker. Sure enough it was there. “Aha! Success!” He hoisted the device into the air triumphantly. 

The twenty eight year old couldn’t help but smile fondly at his team-mate. God, he missed him. Marc shoved the phone into his pocket and stood up, freezing upon seeing Dani’s expression. It was the kind that was meant to make his heart melt and it certainly did the job. His pulse began to quicken and his palms became slightly moist. This wasn’t good. Not good at all.  _Why do you always have this affect on me?_

Dani’s eyes seemed to darken as he watched his team-mate’s reaction and he inched closer to the younger man. It had been over a month since they were in a similar situation and the urge to reach out and touch him was just too much. Marc inhaled a sharp breath and closed his eyes as Dani placed his hand on his cheek. He couldn’t find it within himself to stop whatever was happening. He didn’t want to.

Before he knew it, Dani’s lips were on his, familiar and soothing and moving cruelly slow. But it felt good, it felt so good. Marc kissed back hungrily. He missed being close to someone like that; he missed being close to _Dani_ like that. Their lips continued to collide until the younger man pulled away, breathless and lips swollen. He hesitated for a moment, seriously contemplating what he was about to say. “Do we have time…?”  _There you go._

That simple question was music to Dani’s ears. He didn’t care if they didn’t have time. He was more than willing to miss the start of practice if needs be. “We have time,” he confirmed and brought their lips together once again. They continued to kiss for a minute before they dropped down onto the bed and Dani reached for the hem of his team-mate’s shirt.

Marc immediately froze, hearing warning bells. “No time for that, just pants.” He hoped that make sense but figured that Dani wouldn’t dwell too much on it if it didn’t. The older man just nodded and began to move his lips down Marc’s jaw and neck, sucking gently on the skin. Marc unbuttoned his jeans and swiftly pulled them down, boxers and all. Dani followed suit and soon their cocks were touching, sending a jolt of pleasure through the twenty one year old that he hadn’t felt in quite a while.

“Lube and condoms?”

Marc suddenly felt deflated. Shit. “Fuck. Neither.” It wasn’t as if he had been expecting anything to happen this week. It wasn’t supposed to be any different than the previous three.

Dani sighed and swiftly looked around. He smiled wryly and grabbed a bottle of hotel body lotion that was on the bedside locker. _This will do the job._ “No condom?”

The younger rider resisted the urge to laugh out loud. Any damage had been already done. “No condom.”

 

“DANI!” Marc practically screamed his team-mate’s name as he came harder than he had ever done before. It was the kind of pleasure that made you feel absolutely delirious and on fire at the same time. Dani grinned as he buried his face in his lover’s neck, delivering those last few thrusts to send himself over the edge too. He rode out his orgasm before coming to a gradual halt, gasping for air. He wrapped his arms around the younger man, pulling them even closer to get as he tried to catch his breath. Every inch of his body felt like jelly.

“Why did we stop doing this?”

Marc frowned but didn’t let it spoil his mood. “I don’t know.” After the moment’s rest, Dani pulled out of him and Marc moved back onto his back once again, fixing his shirt so that his developing bump couldn’t be seen. He had an urge to tell his team-mate right there and then that they were having a baby together but didn’t trust that he was thinking clearly. He probably wasn’t.

Dani kissed him passionately. “I missed you, Marc. Don’t shut me out again. Please.”

Marc wanted to cry. _Was Alex right? Does he actually really care about me?_ “It couldn’t have been that bad…” he felt embarrassed the moment those words left his mouth. His motives were definitely selfish.

The older man’s jaw locked visibly and he frowned. “It was,” he paused, staring Marc down with an intense gaze, "You honestly don’t know how I feel about you, do you? You think that this is just about sex?”

_That’s exactly what I wanted to hear._ He felt so guilty but he needed to know for sure. “Isn’t it?”

Dani scowled. “Of course it isn’t, Marc. How can you be so blind? You seriously can’t see that I’m crazy about you? Is that why things got so weird between us? Because you thought I only wanted to fuck you?”

It wasn’t the reason but it certainly didn’t make him feel any better. “A little bit…” Marc’s eyes wandered down to the bed sheets beneath him, unable to believe that any of this was happening. ‘How can you be so blind?’ It seemed like he was lacking perception a lot these days.

The older man placed his hand under his chin and swiftly brought Marc’s gaze back to his. His expression was now completely serious. _I can’t believe you don’t know._ “Listen to me. I care; I care an awful lot. Don’t ever think that I don’t. I’ve been miserable for the past few weeks. This is not just sex for me.”

_That’s not what I wanted to hear… it’s what I_ needed _to hear._ Marc felt this weight instantly lift off of him. There was still the matter of the baby but at least he knew for sure now how Dani felt. Tears began to well in his eyes. _Stupid emotions._ “It’s not just sex for me either,” he finally managed to get out. 

Spurred on by his lover’s words, Dani recaptured the younger man’s lips once again. This time, they told Marc everything he needed to know and more. _You just made it all worth it._

After some period of time had elapsed, Dani broke away again, a smile having returned to his gorgeous face. “As much as I would love to stay here like this, we have to get back to the track. Shuhei will get suspicious if we’re both nowhere to be found.”

_I bet he would._ It was only meant as a joke but Dani didn’t realise the truth that went with it. He agreed with the older man but did not want to leave the comfort and safety of his own room. It seemed a shame to ruin the lovely moment they were having. But Marc knew that everything was easier to face now that he knew how Dani felt. “I suppose.”

They got dressed quickly, releasing that they were in fact running a little late. It didn’t matter that much as they both managed to get to the Honda garage before the beginning of practice 2. Marc whispered to Dani that they were like teenagers as they snuck in together, trying to get to their respective dressing rooms as quick as possible. Dani just rolled his eyes and bid his lover (boyfriend?) goodbye, telling him that he would see him out on track.

The younger of the two looked around to see if the coast was clear and, with a devilish grin, blew his team-mate a kiss.

_Never mind acting like teenagers; I’m dating a teenager. But strangely, I don’t mind._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, sorry if that sex scene was really disappointing but I tried to get really into it but I am absolutely useless at writing scenes like that. Sorry! (To make up for that I'll let you know that I have 8 more chapters written already)


	9. The more things change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I am in a particularly cheerful (despite the headache!) this morning after Germany winning last night (Gotze ;* ) so I decided to update! Yay! I have to say that I'm really loving writing this and you guys are making it even better :) Btw, did anyone hear that comment during FP1 the other day about Dani keeping Marc honest on track? I laughed so much! Anyway, here you go!

Marc managed to make it through the day in one piece which was definitely a good sign. It gave him the confidence that he needed going into the more business part of the weekend. He’d only managed to go second overall with his combined time but he was definitely content with that with practice 3 and then quali to come. Shuhei was happy with his rider and made it known, congratulating Marc on his smart and safe riding. All in all, things were going pretty well.

Marc and Dani sat next to each other at dinner, warranting a few curious glances from their team mates. It was obvious that relationship had improved, Marc just hoped it wasn’t too obvious. Then again, relationships went up and down quite frequently in the paddock; it was all part of the sport. Alex walked past at one stage and did a double take which, thankfully, Dani didn’t notice. Alex just gave his older brother a look that said ‘you will tell me everything later’ and walked on.

It was hard for Marc not to act giddy. To do so would be natural, wouldn’t it? He was in a more or less new relationship with a guy who evidently had feelings for him. What was there not to be giddy about? Well, only the fact that they would be soon separated when Marc temporarily gave up riding to have their baby… the baby that he hadn’t yet told Dani about… but he was definitely taking a step in the right direction.

His mother rang at around nine o’clock that night to congratulate him on his riding and warn him (once again) to be careful. They talked on the phone for about forty minutes discussing how he was feeling, her experience with morning sickness and when he would begin to show. It was an odd experience. Marc had never anticipated that he would be able to bond with his mother over something like this but he still felt incredible comforted by the whole thing.

The next day wasn’t as easy as the previous. Marc was rudely awoken at seven o’clock by the urge to empty his stomach contents. He hopped out of the bed and ran to the bathroom, not even stopping to turn on the lights. He ended up getting sick on and off for over a half an hour, leaving him sprawled out on the marble floor feeling sorry for himself.

“I thought we were coming to some kind of agreement,” Marc spoke to his stomach, placing his hands over his abdomen. “If you’re living under my roof then you should at least have the courtesy to respect my rules.” It kinda felt as if he was rehearsing for the future because something told him that was a line that would be used a few times... The HRC rider really hoped that their child was well behaved.

The rest of the day didn’t really get any better. Marc still felt awful which meant he found himself getting annoyed with the people around him very easily. Alex, fully aware of what was going on, ignored his brother’s bitchiness but Dani on the other hand seemed utterly perplexed by the sudden change in his boyfriend’s mood.

It all kicked off when they were talking in Marc’s dressing room while their bikes were being set up. The door was closed so Dani decided it was safe to give the younger man a kiss. Marc, who wasn’t really in the mood to be kissed since he was once again fighting the urge to throw up, didn’t really appreciate the sentiment and instantly pulled away. Dani could understand that the young rider didn’t want to kiss in their workplace but it was the sullen expression on Marc’s face that really pissed him off.

“What the hell is the matter with you today?”

_You don’t want to argue with me right now._ “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

The older rider shook his head in disbelief and chuckled humourlessly. “Really? Could have fooled me. You’ve been in an awful mood all morning. Yesterday, everything was perfect and now… I can’t keep up with your mood swings. Not when you’re blowing hot and cold the whole time!”

“This isn’t about yesterday! This isn’t even about you, Dani! I still feel the same way I did yesterday!” Dani just didn’t understand. He had absolutely no idea what he was going through but Marc couldn’t exactly inform him. He didn’t want to just blurt the news out in the heat of battle. It wasn’t the right time and he knew that he would regret it later.

Dani had to admit that he was probably a bit sensitive. After being given the cold shoulder from the younger man for so long, it seemed natural that Marc’s behaviour sounded warning bells. He really didn’t want to go back to the place they were in and, for all intents and purposes, have his heart broken again. “You’re doing a great job of showing it,” he didn’t shout, it was just as if he was stating a fact, “So, you know what? I’m just going to leave you to sort whatever is going on with you out by yourself. Good luck out there,” Dani said briefly before walking out the door.

Marc’s eyes met with some of the Honda workers who were walking down the corridor and had obviously heard raised voices and seen Dani storm out. He just scowled and shut the door once again. He wanted to scream in frustration. How the hell did they go from being so perfect to shouting at each other for all of the garage to hear? The worst thing was, Marc knew that it was all his fault. Fine, he didn’t know why Dani had been so pissed off but he could have been more understanding.

“This is your fault,” he said to his stomach, “Why are you turning daddy into such a bitch? Your papa isn’t going to be able to put up with me if I’m always this moody.” Despite his words, Marc rubbed his stomach tenderly. He sighed. He really needed to tell Dani about the baby soon. If not he could risk losing him completely and that was something Marc wasn’t willing to think about. _After the race; I’ll tell him after the race._

 

“So you want to tell me why you look like someone has just kicked your puppy? You qualified second! Surely that’s the best you could have hoped for when you’re not running at one hundred per cent…” Alex commented as they laid on Marc’s bed, watching the Simpsons after what felt like a very long day.

The HRC rider pouted. “It’s Dani. We had a fight.” In fact, Marc hadn't actually seen him at all at dinner.

_Here we go again._ “A fight? You two just literally made up! How did you manage to get into a fight so quickly? Did you… tell him about the baby?”

“No! I wasn’t feeling well and I was just annoyed with everyone and it just kind of escalated from there. He thinks I’m blowing hot and cold.”

“Well you are but at the same time, you aren’t. It hasn’t got anything to do with Dani. Didn’t you tell him that?”

Marc grabbed a pillow and pressed it over his face, groaning. “I tried! I just couldn’t make him understand properly!”

“Marc, don’t take this the wrong way but-“

“I know! I _know._ I have to tell him. I don’t really understand why it feels so hard. I guess I’m afraid about how he’s going to react. I couldn’t deal with him rejecting me, I just couldn’t.”

Alex sighed and smiled sadly. It was easy to understand why his brother was so insecure when his life had been changed so quickly and so completely. “Look at me,” the younger Marquez ordered and pulled the pillow away when Marc showed no sign of movement. The MotoGP rider looked very sheepish. “I know you’re scared about what’s going to happen- you have the right to be- but you need to have some faith in him. He told you himself that he cared about you; what makes you think that’s going to change when he finds out that you’re having _his_ baby? Even if he wanted to abandon you, which I absolutely know that he doesn’t, he can’t exactly escape. You two work together.”

“I love him, Alex!" Marc burst and finally admitted, "I’m head over heels in love with him and I love our baby- _his_ baby- and I just want more than anything for him to love me back and the possibility that he mightn’t just terrifies me.”

_Tell me something I don’t know._ Alex smiled softly and gently poked his brother in the chest. “ _You_ need to give him the chance to love you, Marc. Because from what I’ve seen, you have a habit of pushing him away. Let him prove himself. Tell him about the baby and go from there.”

Sometimes Marc really felt like Alex was the older one. Why did he get all the sense? “You’re right. I kinda already decided on tomorrow after the race. I don’t want him to know it’s my last of the season until it’s actually over.” _I don’t want to make it any harder to walk away than it already is._

 

_Please pick up._ Marc waited with bated breath as the dial tone on his phone sounded. It was after eleven o’clock and he had been in bed for over an hour but he couldn’t get to sleep. And he knew why. It was because he felt so guilty about the fight with Dani that he couldn’t physically fall asleep until he had spoken to him. _If he doesn’t pick up I’m going to his room._

“Marc?”

Success. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Hi.”

“Hey…”

_Oh yeah, I was the one calling._ “I know you probably don’t want to hear from me right now but I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about today. I wasn’t feeling well and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. Especially since we’ve just made up. I just wanted you to know that I meant everything I said yesterday.”

There was silence for the briefest of moments on the other end of the line before there was a sigh. It sounded like relief. “It’s okay. I shouldn’t have pushed you the way I did. It was like I was trying to make a problem where there wasn’t one. To be honest, I just got scared- scared that things were going to go back to the way they were before…”

“That’s not going to happen. I won’t let it. I don’t think you realise how much I care about you, Dani,” there was an edge of desperation in his voice. ‘Care’ wasn’t exactly a strong enough word to describe his feelings but he couldn’t exactly drop the ‘L’ word the day after they officially got together.

Dani scoffed. “Personally, I think it’s the other way around. I think part of our problem is that we doubt what the other one is feeling too much instead of concentrating on what _we’re_ feeling.”

Marc frowned. He’d never thought about it like that and he had to admit that it made sense. Who knew that Dani could be so philosophical? “That makes sense.”

“It does, doesn’t it? So how about we make a pact? You don’t doubt my feelings for you and I won’t doubt your feelings for me. And no more arguing over stupid things. Especially in the garage because that was embarrassing…”

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Marc laughed. It was pretty embarrassing. Even though he was pretty sure that no-one but Shuhei knew about them, he still got a few funny looks. “Sounds good,” he bit his lip, “Dani?”

“Yeah?”

_This is so embarrassing._ “What are we? I mean, we’re together, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, we’re together. We are very together.”

“So… we’re boyfriends?”

“Yes, Marc, we’re boyfriends,” the older man replied and Marc could hear the smile in his voice.

The twenty one year old shut his eyes and smiled. _Boyfriends._ The fact that they were now official made butterflies suddenly appear in his stomach. _You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this moment…_ “Good. That’s good.” Marc yawned.

“Go to sleep. You’ll need all the rest you can get if you want to beat me. Meet you for breakfast at eight?”

“In your dreams, Pedrosa. And that is a big yes to breakfast. Night, Dani.”

“Night, Marc.”

_I love you._


	10. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we are... I hope it doesn't disappoint! I had the weirdest moment ever while writing this chapter! I was literally writing about Aleix and Pol eating in a restaurant and then my sister said ‘Aleix and Pol are eating together in a restaurant’. I nearly had a heart attack but then I realised she was talking about a picture on Facebook! Phew! Haha Enjoy!

“What do you think is up with Marc and Dani?” Aleix wondered as he watched the HRC riders eating breakfast together from across the restaurant. They seemed to be awfully smiley for that hour of the morning. And it was only two days ago that they could barely speak to each other.

Pol popped a grape into his mouth and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Why are they so friendly now?”

The younger Espargaró frowned. “Are they really? I heard from Vale who heard from Cal who heard from Jorge that they had a bit of a battle royale in the middle of the Honda garage yesterday.” Well, maybe ‘battle royale’ was a bit of an overstatement and it wasn’t in the middle of the garage but still…

Aleix arched an eyebrow. “Because they really look like they’re feuding now…” Marc was hysterically laughing at something with his usual ‘JAJAJAJA’ laugh and Dani was just watching him in amusement. The Forward Yamaha rider paused for a moment, a pensive look on his face. He leaned closer to his brother. “I think they may be… together.”

“Together? Of course they’re together, they’re sitting right over there!”

_Pol really isn’t a morning person._ “I can obviously see that. I meant I think they’re together as in a couple together.”

There was a moment of silence as Pol realised what his brother meant. His eyes widened and he turned to look at Marc and Dani once again. That smile. He had never seen Dani smile like that before. And the way that Marc was looking at him… “Holy shit! They’re together!” A grin spread across his face.

Aleix had to admit that he felt pretty good for deducing such a thing. Maybe he was in the wrong business. “If it’s true I’m really happy for them. They are what you would call a power couple, no?”

“I guess. Wow, I can’t believe I never suspected anything. They’re good, I’ll give them that.”

 

Dani let his eyes wander for a moment and frowned. “Marc?”

“Yeah?” the young rider replied, still chewing a mouthful of toast.

“Is it just me or are the Espargarós staring at us?”

Marc frowned, swallowing his bread, and turned around to see if what his boyfriend was saying was true. Sure enough, Aleix and Pol’s eyes were fixed on them. The former gave them a thumbs up and the latter waved flamboyantly. The pregnant rider arched an eyebrow and turned around again. “Weird.”

It seemed like too much of a coincidence for Dani’s liking. “Do you think… do you think that they suspect something?”

The younger man scoffed. “Probably not. How could they guess? We’re not that obvious.”

_It probably just is a coincidence…_ “Yeah, I guess. Are you ready to go? We have to get down to the track so I can beat you once again.”

Marc smiled but it was tinged with sadness. This was it; his last race for six months. His last time on a bike for six months. It was hard to digest. _But it’s worth it._ “You wish. Let’s go.”

 

“Marc, can I speak to you for a minute?” Shuhei asked when they were preparing to go out on track for the final adjustments.

He nodded and told Emilio that he would be back in a minute, following the VP to a quieter part of the garage. The older man smiled. “You nervous?”

Marc smiled softly. “I guess. It feels really weird.”

“I just wanted to tell you not to worry too much about the result today. Just enjoy this one. And I need you to promise me that you’ll be careful. Remember what you said, it’s not worth it just for the points.”

The young rider nodded once again. “I promise.”

Shuhei smiled. “Okay then. I wish you all the best then. We’ll be looking forward to having you back at the start of next season. Good luck with Dani too. And don’t forget to send pictures when the little one is born!”

Marc grinned. He wanted to give his team VP a hug and thank him for being so understanding but it didn’t seem like the time or place. _Maybe on the other side of the race._ “I’ll look forward to being back. I’m winning the championship next year,” he said in a playful but matter-of-fact tone, “And thank you. For everything. You’ll be the first to know when he or she decides to arrive.”

“Anytime, Marc. Now get out there and ride carefully!”

 

As Marc sat on his bike out on the track preparing for the warm-up lap, he just took a moment to take everything in. Dani was next to him in third position. This was the last time he would look over and see Marc on the grid until next season and he had no idea. He was happy that his last race was in his home country; it gave him some sense of closure. His father had come from Cervera (his mother point blank refused to watch this race stating that her heart couldn’t take the stress) and was waiting in the garage for him. The whole thing stirred up lots of emotions in him.

Before he knew it, the race had begun. As far as races go, it wasn’t exactly the hardest but Marc still found it challenging. Somehow he managed to get out in front and, if that wasn’t surprising enough, managed to hold his position fending off Vale, Jorge and even Dani. Before he even knew it, it was all over. Marc was in a state of shock as the checkered flag was waved for him. He’d done it; against all odds, he’d won the race.

The twenty one year old relished his last trip around the track, celebrating with the crowd and his fans before coming to a halt in parc ferme. Marc killed the engine and hopped down, thrusting his fist into the air as his fellow riders joined him. He pulled his helmet off, feeling like he seriously needed more air. It was such a crazy experience. All these emotions were suddenly overwhelming him and Marc had to try his hardest not to cry.

This was especially true when he caught sight of his father and Alex behind the metal barricade. He ran to them quickly and was quickly enveloped in a three way hug. “I’m so proud of you! We’re so proud of you, Marc. Well done!” Julia congratulated his eldest son.

_Oh god. Please, no tears. Don’t cry, Marc. Don’t cry._ “Thank you; for everything.” He gave them one last squeeze before moving on to embrace the rest of his team. That was until he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. He quickly turned around and nearly melted when he saw Dani there smiling at him.

“Well done, kid. Great ride.”

_Screw it._ Marc threw caution to the wind and embraced his secret boyfriend in a hug. _Who knows when I’m going to win a GP again? Better make it count._ “Told you you were dreaming.”

Dani couldn’t help but smile fondly. “I’ll get you next time.”

_No you won’t._ Marc pulled away with a knowing smile before being congratulated by Vale. After that, it was just a whirl wind. There was interviews and then the press conference which was interesting to say the least. There was a moment of mutual understanding between Dani and Marc when a journalist asked the older rider a particular question.

“And how good is this guy? Is he different to other riders you’ve competed with before?”

_Is there any way he’s similar?_ Dani had to try hard not to grin too much as he sensed Marc’s eyes on him. “Well you only have to see what he did this weekend to know that he’s got something special. It’s always a challenge and a pleasure to race against him and I look forward to the many races to come.”

Marc’s cheeks began to burn as he felt a rush of affection for his boyfriend. He just wanted to grab Dani and kiss him in front of everyone. Obviously he couldn’t so instead he settled for giving his boyfriend’s thigh a squeeze. He would thank him properly later on.

 

“You. Were. So. Great. Today.” Dani punctuated his compliment with kisses after Mark kicked the door of his hotel room shut. They had finally managed to escape from the team, media and fellow riders after what seemed like forever.

Marc felt a thrill run through him at his boyfriend’s words. “So were you. I didn’t think I could hold out.”

“Well you did and you deserved it. Although I am definitely going to put it up to you in Sepang. We’ll see who comes out on top then…”

Dani’s statement was playful but Marc suddenly felt deflated. _I said after the race. It’s after the race._ The twenty one year old sighed and ran his hands over Dani’s shoulders where they had been resting. Was he really going to do this? Marc felt as though he would drop dead at any moment. He could hardly breathe. “There won’t be a Sepang for me…”

The older man frowned and chuckled slightly. “What are you talking about? Of course there will.”

Marc bit his lip and sighed, hands now shaking. “This is my last race of the season.”

Dani’s jaw clenched. What was he talking about? Then it hit him. The lawyer… He backed away from his boyfriend, a wounded expression on his face. “You told me you weren’t leaving the team. You promised!”

_Now or never._ “I’m not leaving the team, Dani. I’m pregnant; I can’t race.”

Complete silence overcame the room as Dani tried to digest what his boyfriend had just said. _Pregnant? Did he actually just say that? He couldn’t have said that…_ But he did. He felt his mouth go dry. It all made sense now; the mood swings, avoiding him, the food, the lawyer… Dani felt like he should have been freaking out but, to be perfectly honest, he was too shocked for that. _You're pregnant..._   _Is it mine?_ That was the question that he wanted to ask before he mentally chastised himself. _Don’t be an idiot, Dani. Of course it’s yours. If you ask him that you’ll only upset him._ “Oh my god.”

Marc cringed. Well, it was better than he anticipated but still… He’d never felt as nervous in his life as he did in that moment. The young rider removed his hands from his boyfriend’s shoulders and let them fall awkwardly by his sides. It was probably best to give him a bit of space. “Yeah… that was my reaction too… I’m sorry, Dani.”

_Wait, what?_ He snapped out of his state of shock quickly, frowning. “You’re sorry? What do you have to be sorry about? I’m the one who should be sorry! I ruined your chances of winning a championship in your first season!”

_Okay, I was not expecting that._ Marc gave a small shrug. “Yeah, I’m disappointed but it’s not so bad. It’s better than just getting injured.”

_Oh my god._ “You’re pregnant?”

“Yes.”

“With my baby?”

“Yes.”

“You’re having my baby?”

Marc couldn’t help but chuckle slightly now that he was more confident that Dani wasn’t going to completely freak out on him. It was a very promising sign. “Yes, Dani, I’m having your baby.”

Feeling a little light headed, the older man sat down on the edge of Marc’s double bed. But that was natural, wasn’t it? It was an acceptable reaction after being told that your twenty one year old boyfriend who is also your team-mate is having your child. It was completely mind blowing. “Wow…” he was about to check out once again before something occurred to him- something far more important than his shock. “How do you feel about it?”

Marc pulled out the chair that was in front of the desk and turned it so he would be facing his boyfriend. “At first, I didn’t know what to feel. It’s kinda hard to digest, you know? But then once I decided I was going to keep it, I felt better. We’re getting along pretty well now. Well, except when it makes me throw up constantly… and eat more than my own weight in food but I don’t mind that part so much.”

Dani’s head snapped up suddenly and he stared curiously at his boyfriend. It was in that moment that he realised that Marc had changed. He wasn’t the same person that he knew a month ago and that wasn’t a bad thing; it was just… different. _You’ve grown up. You’re not warm chocolate milk before bed Marc anymore… you’re thinking of your unborn baby as a person Marc. But you’re still_ my _Marc._

He didn’t know exactly where it came from, but Dani suddenly felt an overwhelming rush of emotion towards his boyfriend and father of his unborn child. Without a second’s hesitation, he reached out and covered Marc’s lips with his, kissing him with everything that he had.

Marc frowned but kissed back anyway. He wasn’t going to complain! Their lips continued to move together until the sensation of his lungs burning with the lack of oxygen caused the twenty one year old to pull away. There was a playful glint in his eyes as he cocked his head to the side. “What was that for?”

“Everything; that was for everything. For being you, for being with me, for having my baby, for being happy that you’re having my baby, for giving me everything I’ve ever wanted, for walking away from the championship… Just… for everything.”

_I love you. Of course I would do anything._ “So you’re okay with me having the baby?”

“Okay? Of course I’m _okay_ with it! Is that what you were worried about? That I would want nothing to do with either of you?”

Marc let his gaze drop to the floor. He felt bad about doubting Dani but that was only natural, wasn’t it? When everything was so uncertain? “I was really scared.”

With that simple sentence, Dani felt his heart break. He should have noticed something sooner. He should have confronted Marc sooner. He should have taken the hint and pressed the matter further when he was about to tell him something that night after the accident. “Look at me,” the twenty eight year old ordered and took his boyfriend’s face in his hands, “You don’t have to be scared anymore. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. Not now and not when the baby is born because… because I love you and I’m not just saying that because you told me you’re pregnant. I’ve known it for quite a while now.”

_Oh no, I’m going to cry now._ Right on cue, tears began to fill his eyes. Tears of complete relief and love. “I love you, too.” The whole thing was so overwhelming.

_Don’t cry. That could be something I have to get used to._ Dani smiled. “Good because you’re not getting rid of me now. No matter how hard you try.”

_I wouldn’t want it any other way._


	11. I'll be there

“How far along are you?” Dani wondered curiously as they laid curled up on the bed. The sex that they had been previously leading up to went out the window with Marc’s revelation. It seemed like the moment was far too important for that.

“Just under three months. I’ve still got a long way to go. If I was you I’d get out now. Save yourself,” the younger man replied playfully.

Dani shook his head and placed a kiss on his boyfriend’s forehead. “Not a chance. That’s probably why I didn’t notice you were pregnant. You don’t look pregnant.”

Marc eye’s widened in disbelief. _Have you looked at me lately?_ “What are you talking about? I’ve gained like two kilos! The day of the crash it took me like ten minutes to actually get the zipper of my leathers up. Shuhei had to get me a bigger size. You seriously haven’t noticed?”

His boyfriend shook his head. “I’m sorry to tell you but to everyone else you look the same. You’re still really small. You may have noticed because obviously you know your body but it’s definitely not obvious.”

The twenty one year old frowned. He’d never thought about it like that. He just assumed that if he could see the difference, everyone else would be able to see the difference too. Especially Dani. “Huh; I guess you’re right,” Marc answered, subconsciously rubbing his stomach.

Dani propped himself up on his elbow, a grin on his face. “That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like for you show me…”

“You want to see my bump? Or lack thereof?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Of course I want to see your bump. That is, if you’re okay with showing me?”

The pregnant rider nodded and smiled softly, shifting position so that he was lying flat on his back. He pulled shirt up and the waistband of his jeans down slightly so that the fully extent of his abdomen could be seen.

Dani studied his boyfriend’s stomach in quiet awe. The difference was subtle; so subtle that you would miss it if you didn’t know what you were looking for but it was definitely there. The once flat skin protruded ever so slightly between his hips. The sight gave him chills. It was then that it really hit home; he was going to be a father- a father to Marc’s baby. The fact made he him feel things he never thought possible; extreme love for two people, the man he loved and the unborn baby that he was carrying. “Can I- can I touch it?”

Marc grinned widely. “Of course.”

The older rider placed his hands gently over his boyfriend’s bare abdomen, a massive smile on his face. Admittedly, this wasn’t at all how he pictured the day going but he couldn’t have asked for a better surprise. It was so surreal. That small bump beneath his fingertips would continue to grow until it was time for their son or daughter to leave the comfort of Marc’s body. “Wow.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s pretty crazy, isn’t it?”

“It’s crazy,” he agreed, “but good. A lot of things make sense now. Like Alex; he’s been more protective of you than ever. And I get the feeling that he’s not my biggest fan…”

Marc chuckled. “He likes _you_ he just didn’t want _you_ to hurt _me_. He worries about me. I wouldn’t be surprised if my mother is on the phone to him every night telling him not to leave me out of his sight.”

Dani drew a deep breath. He hadn’t been expecting that. “You’re parents know?” _They probably hate me. It mightn’t be safe to go near Barcelona for a while…_

“Yeah and it’s okay, you don’t need to look so scared. I told them when I went home the day after the accident. Of course they were surprised, even more so that you of all people were the father, but they were really supportive. It was a lot more than I could have ever hoped for. Actually, it was my mother who made up my mind about what I was going to do. She said that she knew that I was going to keep the baby and, as much as it annoyed me, she was right.”

The older man smiled. He was glad that Marc had the support he needed from his parents. If he didn’t, this could have been a whole different story. “That’s good. I’m glad that they’ll be there for you.”

Marc nodded slowly and hesitated for a moment. “I was thinking… maybe you could come back to Barcelona with me tomorrow? I know that it’s a long way from Switzerland and-“

Dani silenced his boyfriend with a kiss, knowing only too well that that was the beginning of a nervous rant. As cute as those rants were, he didn’t like seeing Marc anxious. Especially over things like that. “I’ll go wherever you want me to go.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And I actually think it would be a good idea for us to have a chat with your parents. There’s a couple of things that we need to sort out…”

The pregnant rider sighed in relief and smiled. “Good, that’s good.”

Dani couldn’t help but smile. “It is. Now stop stressing out. Everything is going to be fine,” he said and kissed the younger man again.

“Tell me that again…”

The older rider chuckled. “Everything is going to be fine,” he repeated before finding his boyfriend’s lips once again.

Surprisingly, they were left to themselves for the whole night. Marc was expecting to hear from Alex or even his father but then he realised that his brother knew of his plan to tell Dani after the race and probably wanted to give them some space to sort things out. He was definitely grateful for that. The whole thing hadn’t been as difficult as he thought but it was still nice to have time to themselves to just discuss things.

So that’s what they did; they ordered room service and just talked. “So what are you going to tell everyone? You obviously can’t just walk away from the rest of the season without an explanation…”

Marc popped a tomato into his mouth. “As far as any one knows, I’m injured. Or at least I _will_ be injured.”

Dani frowned. “Yeah, that’s fine for now but what happens when you start to show? Or at the start of next season if you miss some races after giving birth? Which you probably will if all goes according to plan.”

_I know._ Marc sighed. He’d been trying not to think about that. Sure, it was a pretty great excuse for a certain amount of time but after that… Things would get complicated again. “Honestly? I don’t know. I haven’t quite figured that out yet. It’s not going to be as simple as I had originally thought. It’s not like I can just disappear, I’m Marc Marquez. But even if I could, what would it look like when I suddenly come into possession of a baby?”

“We can figure it out. For the time being, no-one will be any the wiser. Let’s just play it by ear. No matter what happens, I’ll be there by your side. They’ll have to come through me to get to you.”

The pregnant rider smiled softly and kissed his boyfriend, tasting cream sauce on his lips. “Thank you. I mean it, I wouldn’t be able to do this without you- or Alex for that matter.”

Dani grinned. “As your baby daddy, I think it’s my job.”

Marc rolled his eyes and playfully pushed the older man. “Way to ruin the moment, Pedrosa.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. How about I make it up to you by telling you how much I love you?”

“And how much do you love me?”

The older man kissed his pregnant boyfriend. “More than anything.”

“Yeah, well I guess I’m fond of you too- Ow! You can’t hit me, I’m carrying your child!”

Dani kissed him again. “I guess I’ll just have to make it up to you…”

 

Marc groaned as the alarm woke him the next morning. After a moment or two, his eyes widened. Alarm clock? _I slept long enough to be woken up by the alarm clock?_ The only alarm that he needed lately was the baby in his stomach that made him get up to get sick at ungodly hours of the morning. He looked to the clock to make sure that he wasn’t imagining things. Nope, it clearly said 08:00.

Another groan came from beside him. “Would you shut that thing off?”

_Right._ Now that he thought about it, it was quite annoying. But still, it was eight o’clock and he hadn’t thrown up yet and he didn’t feel the urge to either. With a slight smile on his face, Marc reached over and shut the alarm off. Maybe what he was missing was Dani all along? Maybe the baby just wanted its other father around too?

The young rider turned over so that he was lying face to face with his boyfriend. “Good morning,” he grinned and placed a gentle kiss on the older man’s lips.

Dani kissed him back, feeling very much awake now. “Morning. I have to say, I’ve very fond of this arrangement. Can we just not check out and stay in bed all day?”

“No. We have to get ready quickly, remember?”

_I remember._ Marc had been pretty adamant about the fact that he wanted to be down early enough to have breakfast with the rest of the guys since it was his last GP for quite a while and he wouldn’t see them regularly like he usually would. Dani was willing to adhere to his boyfriend’s every wish. He understood how hard it was for Marc to walk away and he wanted to make it as easy on him as possible. But he wasn’t a miracle worker; he couldn’t make everything magically better.

They got dressed quickly, hoping to be some of the first down so that there would be less suspicion about them arriving together. Although they didn’t know if they would even come under suspicion. Would anyone even think to suspect them of being a couple? Maybe seeing as they seemed to outwardly hate each other until two days ago.

It didn’t really make much difference as they ran into Alex in the elevator on the way down. Dani felt kind of awkward around his boyfriend’s brother but his reservations were soon proved to be unfounded as Alex treated him the same, if not better than anyone else. They spoke briefly about how their father had flown back to Barcelona after the race and then about how Dani was coming back to Cervera with them for a few days.

Breakfast with the rest of the riders was great. Despite the various outcomes for different people, everyone was still in a good mood. There was a lot of talk about Sepang and (jokingly) the beginnings of a coup to ensure that the usual suspects were kept away from the podium. Marc put on his best fake smile but said very little. Dani, who was now hyperaware of the younger man, noticed this and gave his thigh a reassuring squeeze.

Despite that, it was an enjoyable start to the day before they all started going their own way. Well, a good few of them were heading to Barcelona anyway so it wasn’t goodbye just yet. The flight was once again at twelve o’clock so Dani and Marc took their time packing and checking out before they headed for Zaragoza.

Getting their bags checked in and getting on the plane went pretty smoothly. The flight was quick as usual which was definitely a good thing since Marc was beginning to get queasy. Running to the bathroom constantly on a plane full of people would definitely arouse suspicion. So much for him thinking that he was getting away with the morning sickness that day… It looked like there was just a reprieve put on it.

Once they touched down in El Prat, they bid farewell to their fellow riders and headed for the short-term parking lot where Marc’s parents had left his car for him that morning. The twenty one year old reluctantly let his boyfriend drive when Dani pointed out that if Marc needed to suddenly throw up, he needed to get out of the car quickly. Alex just watched in amusement as his brother and his brother’s boyfriend bickered for around five minutes about it before Marc tossed the keys to Dani and got into the passenger seat with a huff.

Dani looked back at the Moto3 rider in the backseat and exchanged an evil grin with him.

_Looks like Marc has finally met his match._


	12. Meeting the family

Dani felt a little bit weird when they entered Marc and Alex’s home town. Cervera was their element; where they grew up and where the people knew and loved them. There were Marquez 93 posters all over the place and flags with ants on them… It was a little bit intimidating.

Before they knew it, they had pulled up outside Marc’s childhood home. He noticed the shift in his boyfriend’s mood as Dani killed the engine and removed the keys from the ignition. He couldn’t really help but smile and chuckle softly. “You’re really sweating this, aren’t you?” The pregnant rider reached out and grasped the older man’s hand. “Dani, I promise there is no need for you to be nervous. Just relax.”

Dani arched an eyebrow. “That’s easy for you to say. I’m meeting the parents officially as the older boyfriend who got their twenty one year old son pregnant. It’s not exactly a good start to that relationship…”

At that point Alex rolled his eyes and chuckled, deciding it was time to get out of the car and head inside so that the happy couple had time to talk.

“When you say it like that I’ll admit it does sound bad but I swear you will be fine. Everything will be fine.”

_I hope you’re right._ “Okay,” Dani nodded and leaned in to kiss his boyfriend, “I believe you.”

Marc beamed. “Good. Now come on, you can’t avoid this forever. I made my father promise to unload his gun…” the twenty one year old teased as he got out of the car.

The older rider followed suit and locked the doors. “You’re so funny.”

Marc didn’t reply to that. Instead, he just grinned and took his boyfriend’s hand before quickly remembering that they were in public and dropped it once again. The couple swiftly made their way up the steps to the already open door of Marc’s childhood home. The younger of the two jokingly gestured for his boyfriend to go first. He just got a scowl in reply and went ahead, Dani following close behind and shutting the door, cutting them off from the rest of the world. To the people of Cervera, he was just Marc Marquez’s team-mate but to his boyfriend’s family, he was responsible for a lot more.

“In the kitchen!” Roser called, obviously having heard the door shut. This time it was Dani that grasped Marc’s hand and shot him a look that said ‘please don’t let go’. The younger man responded by giving him a quick peck on the lips before they entered the kitchen.

Both Honda riders had been expecting Marc’s parents to be watching the door in anticipation of the couple’s (or more like Dani’s) arrival and were surprised to find Roser and Julia engaged in casual conversation with Alex. The youngest Marquez smiled wryly as his eyes fell on his brother and his brother’s boyfriend.

“There you are; I was beginning to think you had gotten lost.”

Marc stuck his tongue out at his brother as his parents turned around, friendly smiles on their faces. “You’re home!” Roser said as she embraced her eldest in a hug, “I was so worried.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, mom.”

“And Dani,” she turned to her son’s team-mate and boyfriend and hugged him too, “we’re so happy that you decided to come visit with Marc. It gives us the opportunity to get to know you better.”

_Sounds great,_ Dani thought but didn’t get a chance to answer. “Slow down, Rose. They’ve only just arrived,” Julia said with an amused smile before shaking hands with the older rider, “Nice to see you again.”

_This must be the calm before the storm…_ “You too, sir.”

Marc and Alex immediately exchanged amused glances before simultaneously bursting out laughing. Neither had ever seen Dani like that before. Their mother shot her boys a look that quickly made them stop. “Don’t mind them.”

“You can call me Julia, Dani. You’re having a baby with my son; I think we’re there.”

At that the HRC rider blushed bright red. He still found it incredibly weird that Marc’s parents knew what they were doing- even more so that they seemed to be more or less okay with it. Dani nodded briefly. “Julia.”

“How about I put on the kettle and Alex can help you bring your stuff in from the car? _Then_ we can sit down and get to know each other better,” Roser suggested, realising that the whole thing might be a little bit overwhelming for her son’s boyfriend.

Marc shrugged. “Okay. We’ll get our stuff and put it in my room.”

Roser and Julia exchanged a glance. “Actually, we thought it would be… best if Dani took the guest room…”

Dani had to admit that he had been expecting that one from the start so it didn’t really faze him that much. Marc, on the other hand, was not happy at all. His jaw dropped for a moment. _They can’t be serious. Surely they can’t be that naïve?_ “What? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m twenty one years of age! I think that’s old enough to be allowed to sleep in the same room as my _boyfriend_! It’s not like we’re going to do anything with Alex’s room to the right and yours to the left! Even if we did, I’m already pregnant with his child, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Dani and Alex just looked at each other with wide eyes. Their expressions were more or less the same except that the latter’s was tinged with amusement and the former’s tinged (just a little) with mortification. Once Marc had finished his rant (and folded his arms across his chest to show how serious he was), silence overcame the room once again. Julia and Roser exchanged another glance before they both burst out laughing.

To say their eldest son was indignant was an understatement. “What’s so funny?” he demanded. Alex could see that he was quickly falling into one of his pregnancy induced moods.

“We were only joking. Looks like it worked. We kind of guessed that you would be set on having Dani in your room,” Julia explained and Marc’s body language relaxed visibly.

“Oh. Well, it wasn’t a very funny joke,” their son replied grudgingly, taking his boyfriend’s hand once again, “Come on, Dani.”

Once the three boys had left the room, Roser turned to her husband and glared at him. “I told you he wouldn’t find it funny!”

Julia held up his hands in surrender. “He usually has a good sense of humour.”

“But he doesn’t have a good sense of humour when it comes to _Dani_. You have to remember that it’s natural for him to get defensive.”

Her husband nodded. “Well, I know that _now_. No more jokes, I promise,” Julia said and gave his wife a brief kiss.

“Good because the last thing any of us needs is an upset Marc right now.”

 

Once all the bags were inside (which admittedly didn’t take long seeing as none of them had much with them), Alex disappeared altogether, deciding it would be best to go see his friends and let the others talk freely. They all had tea (peppermint in Marc’s case) or coffee and congregated in the family room. Marc and Dani sat on one two-seater couch and Julia and Roser sat on the other. It was quite awkward for a while as everyone just kind of sat there, contemplating what they should say. It was complete torture for Dani.

Eventually, Marc’s mother said something to her son that got him talking and the other two men joined in from there. They discussed a lot of things, from doctor’s appointments to how Dani felt about the whole thing and, by extension, how he felt about _Marc._ There were certain subjects that no-one dared broach, however, like the logistics of it all; where the baby would be born, where they would live… But it was still early days and there was still plenty of time to figure all that out.

Somewhere along the way, Marc managed to fall asleep with his head comfortably placed on Dani’s lap. The older man continued to chat with his boyfriend’s parents about things that weren’t baby related; riding, the rest of the season, championship chances… Dani still felt guilty about the last part. As much as he wanted to win a championship, he didn’t really want it to be this season under such circumstances.

Roser watched him curiously as the older rider gently played with her son’s hair, subconsciously running his fingers softly through it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Once there was a brief lull in conversation, Roser smiled sadly at Dani. “Up until a couple of days ago, that was my job.”

Dani frowned for a moment, wondering what she was talking about before looking down at his boyfriend and realising. He quickly pulled his hand away, blushing noticeably. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to-“

“You don’t need to apologise and you definitely don’t need to _stop_. Marc needs someone to take care of him, it just feels really strange that that person isn’t me anymore.” That was every mother’s nightmare, wasn’t it? Especially since Marc always needed her a lot more than Alex did.

The Honda rider didn’t really know what to say to that. _What can I say? Nothing that would make her feel any better._ He just nodded and returned his gaze to the sleeping twenty one year old in his lap. Dani watched his boyfriend with a gaze that could only be described as intense. The reality of the situation began to sink in. Roser was right, it was his job to take care of Marc now and he knew for a fact that he would do or give absolutely anything to carry out that duty.

“Dani? Can I ask you something?” Julia’s question pulled him from his train of thought and he looked up once again. The reluctant tone of Marc’s father’s voice unnerved him slightly.

“Of course.”

Once again, Julia hesitated. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the best way to phrase the question. “Do you think he’s ready for all of this?”

_That’s the million euro question._ It was something that had run through his mind quite a few times since Marc had informed him of his pregnancy. Dani knew the question came merely out of curiosity because Marc was having the baby and that was that but it was still worrying. “Honestly? Yes, I do. Obviously, he’s your son and you know him better than I do but I know him in a different way, a way that you don’t. He’s changed. He’s more mature now. I know it’s not going to be easy for him- and I’ll be there every step of the way to help him- but I think we need to give him some credit.”

Both Julia and Roser took in what he was saying for a moment. “That’s all I needed to know.”

 

“Dani?”

Marc’s voice cut through the silence of his pitch dark bedroom. “Yeah?”

“I can’t sleep.”

Dani couldn’t help but smiled. He turned over so that he could drape his arm over his boyfriend’s arm, pulling the younger man closer in the process. He rested his chin on Marc’s shoulder. “I’m really not surprised. You slept for like four hours in the afternoon.”

“Yeah… Sorry about that. It must have been awkward with just you and my parents…”

“It wasn’t so bad.”

Marc shivered at the feeling of his boyfriend’s breath on the back of his neck. Bed was now his favourite time of the day whenever he was with Dani. “They like you, you know.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You really didn’t need to worry.”

Dani didn’t reply to that. There was something that had been on his mind for the majority of the day and he really needed to discuss it with Marc. He just didn’t know how to bring it up or if it was too soon. The older rider made a decision to just go for it and released his boyfriend, reaching over to turn on the lamp on the bedside locker. Dani sat up, crossing his legs.

Marc frowned when he felt the movement and saw the light. He turned over to see Dani sitting on the bed watching him expectantly. “What’s wrong?” the pregnant rider wondered, propping himself up on his elbow.

The twenty eight year old hesitated for a moment. “There’s something I want to ask you and I’m scared because I think you’re going to think it’s the worst idea ever or that it’s way too soon…”

“You’re not going to ask me to marry you, are you? Because as nice as I think that would be, I don’t think we’re- or my parents for that matter- are ready for that…” Marc replied warily.

Dani rolled his eyes and chuckled. “No, I was not going to ask you to marry me,” _Not yet anyway,_ “I was wondering if maybe you would consider coming to live with me in Geneva…”

At that the pregnant rider sat up fully, eyes wide. _Live with you? In Geneva?_ Live _with_ you _?_ That was not what he had been expecting at all, though he didn’t even know what that was. “You want me to move in with you?”

His boyfriend nodded, a pensive expression on his face. “Yeah. I want to be with you- all the time- and in Geneva we could have space to do that. I want to be there for you every moment of this pregnancy; I want to be woken up at ungodly hours of the morning because you’re throwing up, I want to make you that peppermint tea that eases morning sickness, I want to see your bump growing day by day, I want to fall asleep with you every night... I don’t want to do it over the phone.”

Marc just sat there in complete awe as he took in Dani’s declaration. He was really serious about this, so serious that he really wanted them to live together like a proper couple. It was a lot to take in. Sure, Marc wanted to live with Dani more than anything but there was more than just that to consider. With a deep breath and a sigh, he shook his head slightly. “I’m sorry but I can’t.”

Dani’s face fell. He felt like he had just been punched in the stomach. He knew very well that it had been a long shot but the rejection still affected him just as much. The older rider suddenly felt very embarrassed. “Oh. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked; it was too soon-“

“Dani, stop. Let me explain. I want to move in with you- I _really_ want to move in with you; it’s just now’s not really the best time. You’re still competing for the rest of the season which means that you will be gone most of the time. It doesn’t make sense to be there if you’re not. So, I’ll stay in Cervera until the season is done and _then_ I’ll move in with you,” he finished with a broad smile on his face.

Dani’s jaw dropped. Had he heard that right? A hint of a smile crossed his face. “But you will move in with me?”

Marc rolled his eyes and leaned in to kiss his boyfriend. “Yes, I’ll move in with you. What, did you think that I would want to shuffle the baby between Cervera and Geneva?”

“No! It’s just… I thought it was a long shot and when you said no-“

The pregnant rider silenced his boyfriend by pressing his lips firmly against the older man’s. “Don’t go all self-conscious, Dani, it’s not very attractive,” Marc said playfully.

Dani huffed. “I’ll show you attractive…” He quickly grabbed Marc’s shoulders and pushed him down flat on the bed once again, straddling him. The younger man gave a groan and arched his hips, relishing the contact between the two of them.

“I thought we said ‘no sex’?” the pregnant rider wondered, eyes squeezed slightly shut so that he wouldn’t be led astray by his boyfriend’s sultry look.

“We did. But I’m sure there are other things we could do that _don’t_ involve sex and are a lot quieter…”

_How does he expect me to resist that?_ His eyes opened once again. “Really? I wouldn’t mind you showing me some of those things…”

The older man grinned evilly. “I would love to.”


	13. Escapar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to let you all know that I have officially passed the 50,000 word mark with the chapters I have written so far (we're just getting started!). God only knows how long this is going to turn out. I originally planned for this to be like 12 chapters in total but that didn't happen! Thanks for all the support so far!
> 
> (Just a friendly reminder that NONE of this is true. You all already know that but just in case you didn't... I really don't want to get sued hahaha!)

There was no mention of their little agreement the next day. Both Marc and Dani decided it would be better for everyone if they kept it quiet for at least another month; until the dust had pretty much settled over the fact that Marc was actually having a baby. They did also decide, however, since there was a two week break between Aragón and Sepang, that the young rider would fly back to Switzerland with Dani for a few days. It would give them a chance to just spend some time alone together before their schedules took a different direction. Well, Dani’s that was; Marc still had no clue how he was going to pass the time.

The couple seemed to become Roser’s main focus as she spent the whole day trying to take care of her pregnant son and his boyfriend. It seemed she couldn’t do enough for them. She made them breakfast, wouldn’t let them clear their own dishes away, made them cups of tea at what seemed like hourly intervals… Dani eventually stopped trying to refuse her kind gestures when he realised it was futile. He was pretty sure that he had never drank that much tea in his twenty eight years combined.

As grateful as they were, by two o’clock both Dani and Marc knew that they had to get out of the house for a while. They were getting ready to leave when the younger of the two rushed into the sitting room. “Quick! She’s putting on the kettle again!” Marc whispered and grabbed his boyfriend by the jumper, pulling him towards the door while he was still trying to get his other shoe on. “Mom! Dani and I are going out for a while. Be back later.”

“Are we seriously running from your mother?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love her but she doesn’t need to take care of me all the time. If things keep going the same way, I might be joining you sooner than I had expected,” Marc chuckled, patting down his pockets to ensure that he had his keys.

Dani grinned. “I wouldn’t mind that at all. So where are we off to?”

The younger man shrugged. “I was thinking maybe we could go for a drive? Seeing as we can’t really go walking around Cervera without attracting attention.”

“That sounds good. I suppose you are going to insist on driving.”

“Damn straight I am. Especially since it is _my_ car!”

The older rider just rolled his eyes and headed for the passenger side. “Just get in.”

 

“Why are we pulling over?” Dani wondered with a frown as Marc turned into a car park without any warning.

The younger man smiled apologetically at him. “I’m hungry and I need to use the bathroom. Do you want something? I can order for the both of us and you can wait here if you want? I know we’re bound to attract attention and I don’t want-“

 _You are too adorable when you rant._ Dani smiled. “It’s okay, I’ll come in with you and we can eat inside. It’s not like we aren’t friends anyway. Friends hang out, don’t they?”

Marc was genuinely surprised by that answer although he probably shouldn’t have been. He knew his boyfriend would more or less be okay with anything if it made him happy. “Yeah, they do. I guess it wouldn’t be that crazy if we were seen together…” He wanted to give the older man a kiss before they got out of the car but knew that it was probably too risky while there were other people about the place.

The couple got out of the car and Marc locked the doors. Dani was surprised to see that they were standing outside a Chinese restaurant instead of some casual place. He arched an eyebrow at his boyfriend in silent question.

“Sorry,” the twenty one year old blushed, “I never asked if you liked Chinese. We can go somewhere else if you want…”

“No, I love Chinese. I was just wondering why you picked this place.”

“Oh. I’ve been here before with my family. The food is really good and it’s not too busy,” Marc said as he pulled the front door open. His mouth started watering the moment he stepped inside as the smell of food hit him.

A young girl (probably around Marc’s age) dressed in Chinese style clothes greeted them by the door with a welcoming smile. “Hello. Table for two?”

Dani let Marc interact with her as he looked around. It was easy to see why his boyfriend liked the place; it was beautifully decorated and peaceful and most importantly, a buffet. A _big_ buffet with a whole section dedicated to desserts. He chuckled to himself as they followed the waitress to their table. _I have a feeling that this place is going to suffer a loss instead of making a profit when Marc’s here._

The couple sat down and the waitress took their drink order before leaving them. Dani smiled knowingly. “I know why you wanted to come here now.”

The younger man’s eyes widened slightly and he bit his lip. “I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

 _Sure you don’t._ He watched carefully as Marc’s eyes wandered between the buffet and the door marked ‘toilets’, a truly conflicted look on his face. _Were you this obsessed with food before I got you pregnant or is this a new development?_ “You know, the food will still be there when you get back. I promise I won’t let them take it anywhere.”

Marc just stuck out his tongue as he stood once again and headed off in the direction of the bathroom, leaving Dani wondering how he ever existed without him before.

As promised, the food was still there when Marc returned from the bathroom. He didn’t even bother going back to the table, instead he gestured for Dani to come over and swiftly began to pile his plate high with anything and everything that caught his fancy. He returned to the table after his boyfriend with a plate that was twice as full. _Looks like I’ll be driving home…_ “You’re not going to have a starter?”

Marc looked at him in utter confusion, head cocked slightly to the side. “What are you talking about? This _is_ my starter.”

 _Of course it is._ The older man didn’t say anymore for fear of drawing the wrath of a not-so-heavily pregnant but no less fearsome Marc upon him.

“So, I have my first proper doctor’s appointment next week. You’re welcome to come if you want?”

Dani swallowed his mouthful of noodles and nodded enthusiastically. “Of course I want to come with you. That is if you want me there.”

 _Are you seriously doubting that I want you there?_ “Don’t be ridiculous. You helped create this baby, remember?”

 _Oh, I remember._ The older man took a brief sip of his coke. “I know that you want me there, it’s just… I was just thinking that you might be worried about someone seeing us there together?”

“Oh. I don’t think that will be a problem. My mom booked an appointment with a _very_ private clinic. They assured her that we would have all the privacy we needed.”

 _Thank you, Roser._ Dani wanted to reach out and take his boyfriend’s hand across the table but unfortunately he couldn’t. So he settled for hand holding under the safety of the white tablecloth instead. “In that case, I would love to go with you. Have you seen it already?”

Marc nodded and grinned. “Yeah, that day in the hospital the doctor did a scan to make sure that everything was okay. Of course, I felt completely different about the whole thing then so I’m excited to do it properly now. I didn’t even want a printout…”

His boyfriend frowned. He hated that Marc had to go through that by himself. “It’s going to be different this time. This time it’s going to be perfect.”

“Yeah, it will. I’m glad that you’re going to be there with me. It’s still pretty small but it’s still kinda incredible.”

Incredible was definitely one way to describe it. Dani still couldn’t believe that he was going to be a dad; he and Marc were going to be in charge of another human being. It was terrifying yet exciting at the same time. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

The rest of lunch was pretty much uneventful except for the fact that Marc consumed more food than Dani actually thought humanly possible. But he seemed to be content so that was all his boyfriend really cared about. No-one really recognised them; if they did they didn’t make a fuss about it. Once they were finished eating they made their way back to Cervera.

As anticipated, Dani was given the keys to the car as they left they entered the parking. He just chuckled and gave his boyfriend a knowing smile before getting into the driver’s seat. The half hour drive back to Marc’s hometown gave them more time to talk.

Alex was home when the couple got back so Dani went to hang out with him for a bit while Marc went to do something that he probably should have done already: call Emilio. In fact, if it was up to him, he wouldn’t tell him yet (or at all) but the young rider was expecting some form of communication from Shuhei any day now informing him that he was officially classified as ‘injured’. To be honest, Marc felt a little bad that he hadn’t told him in person seeing as Emilio had done so much for him but things had been so hectic before he left Aragón that he hadn’t really gotten a chance. Maybe over the phone was better anyway…

He made his way into his room and shut the door behind him. Marc paced the room briefly before sitting on the edge of the bed. That didn’t really work for him so he stood again, nervously scrolling through his contacts until he had found the one he was looking for. He tapped his foot softly as the dial tone sounded.

“Hello?”

Marc put on a smile even though he knew the other man couldn’t see it. “Hi, Emilio.”

“Marc, hey. What’s up?”

The pregnant rider squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. _I really should have done this in person._ “I was calling because there’s something I need to tell you…”

Silence for a split second. “O-kay, sure; go ahead.”

Marc found himself perched on the edge of the bed once again. He wondered when he would stop getting that nervous about telling different people. Taking a deep breath, he mentally prepared himself. “Okay; I’m not going to be coming back for the rest of the season.” _Like a Band-Aid…_

More silence. “I don’t understand…”

 _Keep your cool. Don’t freak out, you’ve done this before._ “I won’t be racing; Aragón was my last race. ‘ _Officially_ ’, I’m injured…”

“And unofficially?”

“I’m pregnant.” The words were out of his mouth before he even knew what he was saying. Marc cringed at how blunt the statement was. _At least it did the job._ He waited patiently for a reply _._ And waited. And waited. The rider frowned. “Emilio?” He even checked the screen of his phone to make sure the call wasn’t accidentally (or purposely) disconnected.

The sound of Emilio coughing slightly gave him confirmation. “Wow. I- Marc- that’s… wow. Congratulations?”

Marc rolled his eyes and chuckled softly. “Thanks. I wanted to tell you in person but I never got the chance. I didn’t want you to turn up to testing in Sepang and find my replacement there…”

“Right. And Nakamoto knows?”

“Yes. I actually wanted to continue riding until the end of the season but he wouldn’t let me.”

“Yeah… I can see why. I’m sorry if I’m being weird but that was the last thing I was expecting when you said that there was something you needed to tell me.”

 _You’re not the only one._ “It’s okay. It came as a bit of a shock to me too!”

Emilio laughed. “I’m sure it did. So, how far along are you?”

“Nearly three months. If everything goes according to plan, I should be back within the first couple of races of next season.”

“With a baby.”

Marc took a deep breath and nodded to himself. “With a baby.”

There was silence once again. “And what about the father? Does he know yet?”

The rider smiled wryly to himself. “Oh he knows. He’s actually in Cervera with me at the moment.”

“Oh? Anyone I know?”

 _Might as well just go for it._ “Yeah, actually. It’s Dani.”

Emilio seemed to break into a fit of coughing on the other end of the line. Marc just waited for him to recover. Eventually he did. “ _Dani Pedrosa?!”_

“Yup, that’s the one. We’re kinda together.”

“’Kinda together’?”

“Well, actually together. You know what I mean.”

“How did I not notice this? I mean, I suppose it wasn’t really that obvious. But the both of you have been acting pretty weird lately…”

Marc chuckled softly to himself, looking up when he heard the door creaking open. It was Dani sticking his head in through the crack, eyebrows raised in silent question. The younger rider nodded quickly and gestured for him to come in. “Yeah, things were weird for a while but everything is fine now. Perfect, even.”

 Dani sat down on the other side of the bed (his side now?) and just waited. It wasn’t like he wanted to hear whatever Marc had to say, he just wanted to be there with him- to see that everything was going more or less okay. He picked up a random magazine that was on the locker next to the bed and began to flick through it.

“I’m glad to hear that. So I guess we won’t be seeing each other for a while?”

The twenty one year old smiled to himself but it was tinged slightly with sadness. “You never know, I might come visit sometime.”

“You know you’re always welcome. Take care of yourself, okay? We want you back on that bike next season!”

Marc looked over at his boyfriend. “I’ll try my very best. Thank you for being so understanding and… just for everything,” he said and meant it completely. He owed a lot to Emilio.

“It was my pleasure. Tell Dani I said congratulations. Maybe I’ll have a little chat with him in Sepang? Make sure that he’s taking care of you properly…”

The young rider laughed but felt kind of emotional at the same time. “I will. And he’s taking care of me just fine but feel free to have a little chat.” At that Dani cocked his head to the side, a curious look on his face and eyes crinkled in amusement. Marc just shook his head briefly.

Emilio chuckled. “I plan on it. And feel free to call me if there’s anything you need or if you have news like it’s a boy or it’s twins or something.”

The pregnant rider’s face fell at that last part. _Mother of god. Not twins; please, not twins._ “Don’t wish that on me! I thought we were friends!”

“We are. I better go; I now have to phone Nakamoto and get up to date about your replacement. I don’t suppose you know anything?”

Marc scoffed and laid back on the bed so that his head was now in his boyfriend’s lap. “Yeah, right. I’m okay with what’s happening and everything but it’s not in my nature to like my replacement, whoever he is. It’s a good thing I have Dani to spy for me! Maybe you’ll keep me updated about all the ways in which I’m better than him too?”

This time Emilio scoffed. “Yeah, sure, Marc. I’ll call you every night so that your ego will continuously be boosted.”

“That’s all I’m asking for. Bye, Emilio.”

“Bye, Marc. Thanks for telling me. Take care,” the other man said before the line went dead.

Dani started playing with his boyfriend’s hair, magazine long abandoned. “Well that seemed to go well.”

“Yeah but he says he wants to have a chat with you. To make sure that you’re treating me right,” Marc said in a matter-of-fact tone, turning over so that he was now leaning on his elbows on the duvet.

 _They all have my permission to beat me up if I ever hurt you._ “Hopefully that will be unnecessary…”

The younger rider bit his lip and moved once again so that he was curled into Dani’s side. “It is completely unnecessary but if it makes him happy… He did say something that horrified me though.”

Dani arched an eyebrow curiously. “And what was that?”

“He said to call him if I had news, like if we were having twins! Twins, Dani, _twins_. Could you imagine it?”

The older man smiled fondly at his boyfriend and chuckled. _I wouldn’t care what we are having as long as you’re the one giving it to me._ “Would it really be that bad?”

Marc looked positively scandalised. “What are you talking about? Of course it would really be _that_ bad! I can handle the fact that I’m having a baby- welcome it even- but that’s it; _one_ baby. Singular. If we had twins I’d probably never make it back onto the bike.”

“You never know, it could be kinda nice…” the older rider said, just trying to wind Marc up.

It clearly worked. He gasped. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. If I even get the slightest inclination that you’re wishing twins on us I will not have sex with you for a month.”

 _Wow, you are serious about this._ Though Dani highly doubted that a pregnant and hormonal Marc would be able to go a month without sex. He grinned and placed his lips against the younger man’s. “Consider me warned.”


	14. Bienvenue à Genève

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda got carried away with this chapter and wrote a whole conversation in French but then I realised I don't know how many of you speak it so I had to cut it down! The translation of the bit I've left in is in the end notes in case anyone needs it :)  
> Had to get this one up as quick as possible because I'm working on an F1 Lawyer AU and I wanted to make sure I didn't get distracted and forget about my boys ;)

Marc found it nice being back in Cervera but he also found it quite constricting too. It would be fine if he had a race to look forward to, jetting off to a far part of the world, but he didn’t and that was the way it was going to be for a while. Plus, he found himself wanting some space for himself and Dani. They couldn’t go far without attracting a lot of unwanted attention and even though his parents seemed to love Dani and vice versa, things were getting a little crowded.

That’s why Marc was very much relieved when Thursday came and they were heading to the airport to catch a flight to Geneva. He was certainly excited about it; Switzerland was definitely a lot different to Spain and he couldn’t wait to see Dani’s house, the place that would be his home soon enough too. In a few months it would be their _family_ home.

Dani was just as excited as his boyfriend, in the same way Marc had been about his visit to Cervera. He couldn’t wait to have his boyfriend to himself for the duration of the three nights they had their. No parents, just them alone and left to their own devices. _Marc in my bed- our bed- every night, waking up to each other every morning… What is there not to love?_

Everyone in the Marquez household was up early on that Thursday morning. Dani and Marc had to leave Cervera at nine to make it to Barcelona for their flight to Geneva at 11:30. Of course, Roser had to be up early to make sure they (her son in particular) were well fed before their journey. Julia assisted his wife, who kept muttering things about her baby leaving her for Switzerland, and Alex got up because everyone else was up and realistically there was no chance of him being able to sleep on with all the hustle and bustle.

Marc hardly ate anything because his morning sickness was particularly bad that morning so his mother packed some food for him to eat during the car ride if he felt better. As a result of that, the couple decided to leave earlier in case they had to make any unscheduled stops along the way for Marc to be sick. Both hoped that wouldn’t happen and Marc brought some peppermint tea in one of those reusable coffee cups to soothe his stomach.

They ended up leaving at twenty to nine after saying goodbye to Roser and Julia. Alex accompanied them so that Marc wouldn’t have to leave his car in Barcelona. Their mother was not very happy about that either but Alex had his licence and it wasn’t as if he didn’t ride motorbikes professionally. A car wasn’t that different except for the size.

Dani was definitely relieved that they had left early as they ended up stopping at three different service stations along the way so that Marc could be sick. He wanted to accompany his boyfriend and make sure that he was okay but decided that would bring unwanted attention. So, instead, Alex accompanied his older brother and Dani decided to go to the shop for coffee just to give him something to do. Both Marquez brothers replied negatively when he asked if they wanted anything. He bought them both a bottle of water anyway and a packet of chewing gum and some mouthwash for Marc.

 

They were back on the road within ten minutes and had reached the airport by 11:15 leaving them just enough time to get checked in. Dani parked the car in the set-down bay outside the departures terminal and they all got out. Marc had a mini heart attack when he realised he couldn’t remember where he put his passport but that crisis was averted when Dani handed it to him with a roll of his eyes. “You gave it to me this morning just in case.”

 _I guess I do vaguely remember that._ The younger man stuck out his tongue briefly. “Be quiet, I had other things to deal with,” Marc turned to his brother and embraced him in a hug, “I’ll miss you. Don’t get into any trouble when I’m gone.”

Alex chuckled. “You’re going for three days, Marc; I’m sure everything will be just fine.”

Dani had to admit that he was slightly envious of the relationship Marc had with his brother. He would love to have someone that knew him as well as they knew each other. Well, he and Marc were working on that. With a grin, the HRC rider held up the keys to the car before dropping them in Alex’s palm. “It’s all yours.” He could have just left them in the ignition but there was a reason behind his thinking.

Alex grinned widely and Marc flinched, a shiver running through him at the thought of his brother driving his car all the way back to Cervera. “Do _not_ crash it. Seriously, if you crash it and die I will resurrect you from the dead and kill you again myself.”

_And that is the reason why._

With a very amused expression, the youngest Marquez held up his hands in surrender. “I promise you I won’t crash it. Happy? Now go before they close the desk for your flight and I end up having to drive you back to Cervera.”

Marc gave his brother an “I’m watching you” gesture before reluctantly moving away to pull his gear-bag out of the boot of the car. Dani beat him to it, however, and already had the boot closed again. The younger MotoGP rider smiled gratefully before placing the strap of the bag over his shoulder. For all his threatening, Marc couldn’t help but hug his brother once more before they made their way inside.

Dani watched his boyfriend walking a pace or two ahead of him and frowned. “Do you want me to take your bag and you take mine? Mine is a lot lighter…”

Marc smiled. _You can’t help it, can you?_ “No, I’m good. Besides, what will happen if they ask me if I packed my bag myself? It would be your fault if I was detained by airport security. We’d never make it to Geneva then.”

The older rider nudged his arm playfully with a roll of his eyes. “We certainly wouldn’t want that…”

The couple didn’t attract too much attention. Well, they signed a good few autographs and posed for a few photos but it was nothing that wouldn’t have happened if they had been alone. The fact that they were team-mates definitely worked to their advantage. Anyone who saw them in the airport together would automatically assume that they were on Honda business, wouldn’t they?

The morning sickness that Marc had been suffering from seemed to magically disappear the moment they took their seats on the plane. For the whole duration of the flight, Marc was a bundle of excitement although Dani knew he was trying his best to hide it. The older man found it so hard not to grin uncontrollably or reach out and kiss his boyfriend or even just grasp his hand. Yes, they were definitely going to enjoy Switzerland…

Once they were landed and disembarked the plan, Marc got a rude awakening as a wall of cold air hit him. The pregnant rider managed to pull on his sweater in record time. Dani watched the younger man in amusement as he muttered something about a ‘fridge’ and ‘dying of frostbite’. “Bienvenue à Genève.”

Marc sent a glare his way as he adjusted the strap of his hear-bag on his shoulder and crossed his arms in an attempt to keep warm. “ _Merci_.”

“De rien,” Dani replied and tossed his jacket at the younger man. Marc obviously needed it more than him seeing as he was used to the Swiss weather. Even if he wasn’t, he still would have given it to him anyway.

The younger man caught it and arched an eyebrow at his boyfriend for a moment. Dani just rolled his eyes and nodded with a fond smile. Marc sure didn’t waste any time. He dropped his bag and pulled the leather jacket on. It wouldn’t close properly and the sleeves were just a little bit too small but it did the job and then some. The older rider watched in amusement as his boyfriend attempted to discreetly smell it and let out a content sigh. _We’re not obvious at all._

They got through passport control and customs without any problems but one that was quite significant hit them when they entered the arrivals hall. Dani’s face fell and he stopped in his tracks. Marc continued to walk on for a moment before realising that his boyfriend was not by his side. He pivoted swiftly and saw the older man standing there checking all his pockets. “What’s wrong?” the pregnant rider wondered with a frown.

“I can’t find the ticket,” Dani grumbled as he hunched down and began to search the pockets of his carry on.

“What ticket?”

“The one for the car park! With the trip to Cervera I completely forgot about it. Check the pockets of that jacket.”

Marc did as he was told. There was a receipt for… MacDonald’s ( _someone was being a bad boy!_ ) and a ten euro note but, other than that, nothing. “Nope.”

Dani sighed wearily and stopped his searching once he knew it probably wasn’t to be found. Not now anyway; he would probably find it in a couple of weeks’ time. Or Marc would find it. “It could have fallen out in your room. Or anywhere.”

“It’s not the end of the world. There’s a help desk over there, just go over and tell them you lost the ticket. I’m sure they would be more than happy to oblige for _you_.”

The older man cocked his head to the side. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Marc rolled his eyes. “Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? That’s what it’s supposed to mean! Now, go!” he said playfully.

Dani raised his eyebrows and held up his hands in surrender, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, before making his way towards the desk. As he watched his boyfriend walk away, something occurred to Marc. _Wait, we’re in Switzerland… In Switzerland they speak French…_ ‘Bienvenue à Genève.’ _Dani’s going to speak French!_ He felt some kind of stirring in his stomach. _I am not missing this._

“Wait!” Marc called, grabbing both their bags, ignoring his boyfriend’s perplexed look as he practically ran after him, “I’m coming with you.”

“O-kay?” Dani took his bag back off his boyfriend and chuckled to himself as he made his way to the desk, this time with Marc by his side. _Why would you want to come with me? It’s not like you’ll be able to understand- ah._ The older man looked knowingly his team-mate, earning a blush from Marc. _You want to hear me speak French._

A very blond and blue eyed woman behind the desk greeted them both with an unnaturally bright smile. “Good afternoon. How can I help you?” she asked in heavily accented English.

Dani frowned. _You’re speaking English. Well, sorry I’m going to answer you in French because I want to impress my boyfriend._ “Alors, j’ai perdu mon billet pour le parking… pourriez-vous m’aider?” He could feel Marc’s eyes on him as the words fluidly left his mouth.

“Ah, bien sûr; ça passe. Quel est le nombre de registration de votre véhicule?” He listed the combination of letters and numbers and the woman quickly typed that into her computer. “Monsieur Dani Pedrosa?”

“Oui.”

Marc watched in quiet awe as his boyfriend conversed fluently with the woman. His Spanish accent was still clearly audible but it didn’t make him any less understandable for the native French speaker apparently. Once again, he felt the stirring in his abdomen. _You don’t know how sexy you are when you speak French. Maybe that’s what I’ll do when I’m waiting to have your kid? Learn French? It’s a possibility…_

Dani and the woman continued to interact until she handed him the new ticket with a wry ‘Ne le perdez pas!’ Marc found himself getting strangely jealous at the way she was smiling and looking at Dani. Of course she didn’t know that the man standing next to him was actually his _boyfriend_ but he still felt strangely territorial. After the older man thanked her and the began to walk away (knowing she was probably still had her eyes on him), Marc had to resist the urge to reach out and take Dani’s hand or touch him in some way that was subtle but made it obvious at the same time that they were more than just friends.

Dani looked at his boyfriend and grinned. “Did you enjoy that?”

 _Crap._ The younger man arched an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He knew the smile that was threating to take over his face gave him away.

“Sure you don’t, mon cher.”

Marc smiled wryly and nudged Dani in the ribs. “Stop that or we’re not going to make it home.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?”

“Both.” _Always both._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alors, j’ai perdu mon billet pour le parking… pourriez-vous m’aider?- I have lost my ticket for the car park... could you help me?  
> Ah, bien sûr; ça passe. Quel est le nombre de registration de votre véhicule?- Of course; it happens. What is the registration number of your vehicle?  
> Ne le perdez pas!- Don't lose it!


	15. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter but... I'm sticking to schedule anyway!   
> Yesterday I created a new Tumblr account called tumariposaroja (tumariposaroja.tumblr.com) so if any of you would like to follow me I would love to see you around there as well :)

Dani’s house was absolutely nothing like Marc’s. While he lived in the middle of the town on a street where there was lots of similar houses, Dani’s house was about a fifteen minute drive from Geneva and the closest neighbour was about a three minute walk away. It was situated at the top of a long driveway guarded by electronic gates and perched on a bit of a hill. Also unlike the Marquez house, this place was all windows and corners. But Marc absolutely loved it from the moment he set eyes on it. It was chic and sophisticated and so… Dani.

The older man couldn’t help but watch his boyfriend and grin as they made their way up to the front door. _You love it. And that’s really good because this is going to be your home. Our home- me, you and our baby._ Dani unlocked the door and gestured for Marc to go ahead and have a look around which the younger man did.

Dropping his gear bag with a small thud on the hardwood floor, Marc slowly drifted through the open plan downstairs; the foyer first, then the living area to the right and the kitchen and dining area to the left. Everything was tastefully decorated and it was all clean and tidy but not clinically so, it was just… nice and homely in a different way than what he was used to.

“What do you think?” Dani asked after an appropriate amount of time had elapsed.

Marc turned to face his boyfriend from across the kitchen and grinned wider than he had ever seen him do before. _You don’t understand how much I love it... you couldn’t. It’s just like you._ “It’s perfect, Dani. Just… perfect.”

_It makes me happy that you’re happy._ “Would you like to see upstairs or the garden first?”

“Upstairs,” the pregnant rider replied before the question was even fully out of his mouth and then blushed slightly.

Dani chuckled. _I know exactly what you’re thinking._ “That’s fine with me,” he replied with one hundred per cent honesty and made his way over to the stairs, taking Marc’s hand when they were next to each other once again and leading him up.

The hall upstairs was just as airy as the downstairs with a floor to ceiling glass wall at the far end on the opposite side of all the rooms. “Which one is our room?” Marc wondered curiously.

The older rider gestured to an oak door just in front of them. “This one,” he grinned and pushed the door open. Marc slowly stepped over the threshold and took the room in. The first thing he noticed was that he was no longer standing on wooden floors like he had been in the hall and in the rest of the house, but on a plush biscuit coloured carpet. He arched an eyebrow at his boyfriend who just shrugged. “Carpet is warmer.”

_Can’t argue with that._ Marc stepped further inside and it wasn’t until then that he saw the full extent of the room. A very large sleigh bed up against the wall on the left hand side with covers and pillows that were the colour of warm chocolate, cream and light gold. It seemed very pleasant and comfy for sleeping… and other things. Opposite that were two windows (not nearly as big as the others in the house) and in between the two of them was a medium sized flat screen tv and a large chest of drawers. Then there was two open doors, one leading to an ensuite and the other to what seemed like a walk-in wardrobe. It was all very impressive.

“Don’t worry,” Dani’s voice pulled him from his train of thought, “there’s plenty of room for all your clothes when you decide to move in. I know you have a lot of them,” he said playfully.

Marc ignored that comment and turned around, claiming the older man’s lips without any warning. _Not going to complain,_ Dani thought and kissed his boyfriend back with just as much force. He used his hands to rid Marc of his leather jacket, feeling the younger man was wearing far too many clothes. The pregnant rider grinned against Dani’s mouth and instead of going for the older man’s t-shirt, he went straight ahead and popped the button of his jeans.

Dani felt himself harden under the touch. He tore his lips away for a moment. “Someone means business.”

Marc grinned and the only way to describe it was positively dangerous. “Say that in French.”

_You really loved that, didn’t you? Who knew Marc Marquez had a language kink? That could come in handy._ He grinned back. “I knew you enjoyed that.”

The younger man groaned and recaptured his boyfriend’s lips once again. “I _did_ enjoy it. I enjoyed it a _lot_. When you speak French it is very sexy.”

“Is that right?”

Marc bit down on Dani’s bottom lip. “Yes. I almost dragged you to the bathroom there and then to…”

_Got you now._ “To what?”

The pregnant rider felt like he was actually going to self-combust if he didn’t get some kind of friction- and fast. “Fuck me,” he whispered in reply in Dani’s ear.

_There you go._ “Avec plaisir.”

 

_Is that your phone or mine?_ Dani wondered as his eyes were opened as the result of a shrill ringing in the room. He must have fallen asleep when they were cuddling after what seemed like _hours_ of completely mind-blowing sex. Dani noticed quickly that Marc was no longer in the bed next to him and heard him moving about in the en-suite. _How long have I been asleep?_ Another ring.

_Right. The phone._

He reached over to the bedside locker, quickly realising it was his phone that was ringing, and grabbed the offending item. The MotoGP rider didn’t bother looking at the caller ID, fearing it would ring out. “Hello?”

“Ciao.”

_Right._ “Valentino. Hi. What’s up?”

“Nothing much. I’m bored and I’m in Italy so I was wondering if I could maybe drive up to Geneva and visit you? I’ll bring wine?”

Dani’s eyes widened immediately and he sat up poker straight in the bed, now completely awake. “No!” he answered way too quickly and mentally cursed himself. That wasn’t going to arouse suspicion at all.

“No what? No you don’t mind or ‘No, don’t come’?”

“No, don’t-“

Marc stuck his head around the doorframe. “Dani? Would you care to join me in the shower?” he wondered playfully and far too loud, obviously not realising his boyfriend was on the phone.

Dani cringed and rubbed his face with his palm. _Please tell me you didn’t hear that._

“Oh! There’s someone there with you! I know that voice…” _Of course you did._

The twenty eight year old shot his boyfriend a horrified glance and Marc clapped one hand over his mouth and backed into the bathroom once again as if it would make a difference. “N-no, you don’t.”

“Oh but I do.”

“But no, you really don’t.”

“Now I definitely know I do! And I have a very good idea who! Okay, let me try something fun…”

_What part of this is fun? What are you going to do?_ Dani’s heart was practically beating out of his chest as he waited in fear of Vale and his fun. Marc had reappeared once again obviously realising that there was no logical reason for him to remain in the bathroom. ‘Valentino’ he mouthed at the younger man as he sat down on the bed next to him once again.

Marc didn’t get a chance to acknowledge that as _his phone_ began to ring. _What is going on?_

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Vale asked, breaking the unnerving silence on the other end of the line.

The twenty one year old grabbed his phone and saw a number he didn’t recognise. He looked to Dani for guidance. _What do I do?_

“Umm… No. I doubt it’s important…”

“Oh, I’d say it’s important. Answer the phone.”

Dani’s eyes widened as what the Italian was saying sunk in. _No… You… How?_ He knows. _I don’t know how, but he definitely knows._ With a heavy sigh, he briefly nodded at his boyfriend.

Marc hesitated for a moment before pressing the answer button and pressing the phone to his ear. “…Hello?”

There was silence on the end of both lines for a moment before the sound of Valentino’s laughing filled their ears. Marc and Dani exchanged a glare. It was nice to see that their fellow rider was finding this so amusing. “Hi, Marc. ¿Cómo estás?”

“I’m hanging up now. Marc, hang up-“

“No, wait! I just want to say that I am not surprised. Not at all. Okay, I’ll leave you to whatever you were doing? Have fun! ¡Hasta luego!” With that both lines went dead.

Both Marc and Dani remained silent for a moment. _Did that really just happen?_ “He’s clever, I’ll give him that,” the younger of the two commented, still in a state of shock, “How did he do that? I have his number, how did he call us both at the same time?”

Dani shrugged. “Hotel phone. He’s annoying but I wouldn’t be worried about it. He’s not going to tell anyone.” _That I’m sure of. But I still can’t believe he caught us out like that._

The MotoGP newbie nodded. “Okay. I trust your judgement.”

_Just forget about it. We really need to make use of these three days._ “Does that shower offer still stand?”

Marc grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “It still stands alright…”

_That’s more like it._

“Put some clothes on, there’s something I need to show you…” Dani said with a smile as he buttoned his jeans once again.

Marc pouted and stretched out on the bed, leaving absolutely _nothing_ to the imagination. “That’s no fun. Why can’t I keep my clothes off? It’s not like anyone is going to see.”

_Where did I get you from?_ “ _Because_ this is important and I just don’t think either of us want you to be naked when I show it to you. You’ll thank me later…”

The younger man groaned and dramatically rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll concede to boxers and a t-shirt but there is no way that I’m getting fully clothed unless we are actually leaving the house.”

Dani smiled, trying very hard to hide just how excited he was. “That’s fair enough. Now, come on.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” the pregnant rider paused and grinned evilly, “Or at least I hope I will be.”

“You are impossible.”

“I know,” Marc replied, pulling his t-shirt over his head. “Right, okay; I’m clothed. Now you can show me whatever you want.”

It was now the older rider’s turn to grin as he took his boyfriend's hand and lead him in the direction of the door. “Close your eyes and keep them closed until I tell you to open them.”

He did as he was told. “I trust you won’t let me walk into a wall. Or fall down the stairs.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t be going that far.” _Just a few steps actually._ Dani carefully guided Marc until they came to a stop outside another room just across the hall from his- their- room. He pushed the door open before turning to look at his boyfriend once again, a hopeful smile on his face and his heart beating quite fast. “Okay, you can open your eyes now…”

Once again, Marc did as he was told, very excited to see what was in front of him. The curious smile on his face faltered slightly, however, when he saw what it was. “Another bedroom? Are we going to have sex here too?” It was a bit smaller than Dani’s and of a more neutral colour scheme but other than that it was just a room.

Dani rolled his eyes. _Of course he wouldn’t get it._ “No, we are not having _sex_ in here! I was thinking that we could maybe redecorate… to turn it into a nursery for our son or daughter.”

Marc’s eyes widened as he took in what his boyfriend was saying. _Oh my god. You’ve thought about this. You’re making plans for us- three of us- in your house._ An unbelievably wide smile took over his face and tears began to well in his eyes as he felt himself getting emotional. _Am I really going to cry over_ everything _? Although I’m sure in this case it’s acceptable._ Words failed him. It was probably the most touching thing that he had ever experienced.

Dani watched the younger man curiously, taking in every little show of emotion. It was obvious he was happy so the older rider was content to just let him take it all in for a minute or two. He laced their fingers together and Marc squeezed back, giving him an indication that he could continue. “I thought it was perfect because it’s right across from our room but it’s not too close either… What do you think?” Dani asked, getting a sense of déja vu. _Bet you’re glad you’re not naked now._

The pregnant rider opened his mouth to speak and then shut it again, struggling to come up with words. He placed his hand over the small swell of his stomach and nodded. “It’s so perfect. It’s so amazingly perfect. It’s just…”

Dani arched an eyebrow. “Perfect?”

Marc nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’m glad you think so. I’ve been thinking about it ever since you said you would move in at the end of the season.”

“You have?”

The older man nodded and smiled, though it was tinged with a bit of sadness. He swung their intertwined hands softly. “I couldn’t stop thinking about how it could have turned out different. I just kept going through this scenario in my head where you were angry about the whole thing- about having to have this baby. Every time that scenario ended with me not being able to see my child. And before you say anything, I know that isn’t going to happen and you wouldn’t do that but it just made me realise how lucky I am that we have what we have because I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like without you.”

If Marc had refrained from crying before all hope of doing so went out the window with Dani’s not so little declaration. _Is this actually happening? How can we be so lucky? How can I be so lucky? It seems almost unfair._ Tears trickled down his cheeks. “I love you, you know that?”

Dani pulled his boyfriend into his arms _._ “I know. I _know._ And I’m sorry for dampening the mood and making you cry but I just wanted you to know exactly how I feel- exactly what this all means to me.”

“Don’t apologise. Don’t ever apologise for telling me how you feel, okay? There’s no need.”

“Okay, but don’t ever be afraid to tell me how _you_ feel either. Deal?”

Marc pressed his lips gently against his boyfriend’s and smiled. “Deal.”

“Right.”

"I love you so much. All of this... it's just more than I thought I could ever have."

"I love you, too. And I know the feeling."

There was a moment of comfortable silence for a moment as they stayed wrapped up in each other's arms but it didn’t last long. “Dani?”

“Yeah?”

“I hate to ruin this lovely moment but have you got any food?” 

_Right. It’s been quite a long time since we’ve eaten. It’s a miracle that you’ve made it this long._ Dani frowned. “Yes but it’s been over two weeks since I’ve actually been home so I don’t know how much of it is actually edible… How about we order in and I’ll go to the supermarket later and pick up some supplies?”

“That sounds very good. I’m in the mood for Indian… or maybe Italian… There are no Lebanese restaurants around here are there?”

_Have you ever actually even had Lebanese food?_ “I’ll get the menus…”


	16. Twitter and Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this is not real. Not by any stretch of the imagination! I'm just feeling very paranoid today so I thought it was a good idea to reiterate that...  
> And I'm kinda annoyed with Tumblr! I made a new blog for more anonymity and it randomly follows a load of people... Kinda defeats the purpose! Oh well! Here you go :)

They ended up having pasta boscaiola with a side serving of tikka chicken (which Dani very politely turned down) and Marc was satiated and content once again. Unfortunately, after they had finished eating Dani had to leave the house to get supplies to keep his pregnant boyfriend sustained. The younger man suggested that they both go before realising it would be pushing the boat out too far if they were spotted doing grocery shopping together. So, with the promise of returning as soon as possible, Dani set off in his car, leaving his boyfriend to his own devices.

Marc could have really done anything he wanted like explore the house more but instead threw himself down on the couch which he quickly realises was actually extremely comfortable. He noted for future reference that it would be quite accommodating for… certain activities. The pregnant rider could have turned on the tv but he didn’t really bother seeing as one: he didn’t want to get up and two: it would probably be in French anyway. He didn’t really care that much to find out.

Instead, he pulled out his phone to see what was happening in the world. Twitter was his first port of call. He scrolled through his mentions, smiling at the excited tweets from people he had signed autographs for or took pictures with in the airport. Marc stared at one of the pictures that contained him and Dani and wondered if their fans would be as supportive if they knew about everything.

He didn’t dwell on that for too long, realising that he didn’t care what anyone else thought. At the end of the day, it was his life and if he wasn’t happy then what the hell was the point? Marc loved riding but if he ever had to choose between racing and Dani and their baby, he would chose them any day of the week.

Suddenly feeling a bit daring, the pregnant rider smiled to himself and clicked the ‘compose tweet’ button.

@marcmarquez93: Switzerland is beautiful! So glad I get to visit properly!

Before he lost his nerve, he sent the tweet. That was pretty innocent, wasn’t it? He didn’t say where exactly he was visiting or give any further details. Satisfied that he had said a lot without really saying anything at all, he continued to scroll down through his timeline favouriting a few tweets and retweeting some others. That was until he got a notification of a reply to his tweet.

From Valentino Rossi…

He clicked it with one eye closed, fearing what the Yamaha rider’s response would be.

@ValeYellow46: I’m sure you are! I know of a good tour guide if you’re interested…

Marc breathed a sigh of relief. To the person on the street, it would seem like a friendly comment, which it was, but for those in the know (basically Dani, Vale, him and Alex) there was an obvious double meaning to the Italian’s words. _Dani was right. Valentino wouldn’t just out them._ He quickly composed a reply.

@marcmarquez93: No thanks! I’ve already got one! He’s a bit grumpy though… jajajaja

_Should I delete that? Is that going too far? But, again, it seems friendly…_

He hardly got a chance to think about that as his phone rang, shrill and demanding. The caller ID clearly said ‘ALEX’. Marc smirked to himself. _You’ve seen the tweet._

“Hello?”

“What was with Valentino’s tweet?!”

“I’m settling in fine thanks, how are you?”

He knew that somewhere in Cervera Alex was rolling eyes right then. “Later! Tell me about Valentino’s tweet? What does he know?”

The pregnant rider sat up and shifted his position so that his feet were planted on the floor once again. “Everything. Well, not exactly everything. He knows about me and Dani being together.”

“How?!”

“It’s a funny story…” _Well I guess it’s a funny story…_ “We were in bed- well, I was in the bathroom but you know- and Valentino rang. I didn’t know and I kinda requested r _eally loudly_ that Dani join me in the shower… and Vale heard. He started guessing who it was when Dani wouldn’t tell him who it was and he somehow guessed me.”

“And Dani didn’t deny it?”

“Yeah, you see that’s where the funny bit of the story lies. He rang my number on the hotel phone or something and he obviously heard it ringing of the background of the call with Dani. I’m not worried about it. Dani is sure that he’s not going to tell anyone and I trust his judgement. Besides, I know Vale; he just likes to play games.” _I’m pretty sure anyway…_

“Okay. I believe you. I just knew that he knew something from that tweet. So you said you were settling in well?”

Marc smiled to himself and looked around him once again. _This is going to be my house. And I finally get to gush about it!_ “Yes! Alex, you should see the place. Dani has really good taste. I love it. It’s just so open and… sophisticated. And he’s already-“ The pregnant rider stopped instantly when he realised what he was about to say. _I haven’t told anyone that I plan to move to Geneva._ _Not even Alex._

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. “Already what?” The tone of his brother’s voice wasn’t accusing, it was more resignation mixed with acceptance.

_What can I say to that? Do I really want to tell him over the phone? Tell my brother that is more like my best friend that I’m not going to be there anymore._ Marc sighed. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

“Do you honestly think that I don’t know? I’m not an idiot, Marc,” Alex informed him with a chuckle, “You two are in love and you’re having a baby together, I know you’re going to want to live together. You don’t have to worry about it upsetting me.”

_You really are the more sensible one._ “I know but I feel bad about not telling you in person…”

“Don’t. You don’t have to worry about me. You may have to worry about mom but that’s a problem for another day. Now continue. What has Dani already done?”

“It was really sweet! He made me close my eyes and then brought me to a room and at first I was like, ‘it’s a room…’- well, it was a nice room but it was still a room. The Dani told me that it wasn’t just a room and we could redecorate and make it into a nursery for the baby!”

Marc grinned at the little ‘aw’ that escaped his brother’s lips. “That is sweet. You got lucky with Dani. You can be sure that he’s going to treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”

_I got unbelievably lucky._ “I know. But for the first time since I found out about the baby, I feel completely in control- like this is exactly where I’m meant to be.”

“Wow. You sound like you’ve pretty much got everything figured out.”

_I wouldn’t say that!_ Marc chuckled and shook his head. “No, it’s more like learning as I go along.”

“Yeah, that’s a good way to put it. So shall we be expecting a wedding announcement any time soon?” The question sounded half-playful, half-serious at the same time.

The pregnant rider suddenly began coughing as the air became caught in his throat. It took him a moment to regain his voice. _Wedding announcement? Sure, I see myself as Dani’s husband in the future… way off in the future. Is that seriously what they’re thinking?_ “NO! You most certainly shouldn’t be expecting a wedding announcement any time soon! Dani and I are doing this the modern way: baby first, wedding later. We haven’t even really talked about it…”

“Okay! Whatever you say. But whenever you two do decide to tie the knot, I better be the best man!”

Marc rolled his eyes. “If and when that day comes, the job is yours.”

“Yes! Score! I’ll hold you to that. Now tell me more about Switzerland…”

The pregnant rider began to recount everything that had happened since they had arrived in Geneva that afternoon; the cold, the parking ticket incident, Dani speaking French… Once they had exhausted that subject, they moved on to other things; the doctor’s appointment, the upcoming race in Sepang, Alex’s preparation… The conversation lasted a further twenty minutes before Dani arrived at the door with a few shopping bags in his hand.

“Oh, gotta go, Alex. Dani’s home and I have to go help him with the shopping. Talk to you tomorrow?”

“Yeah sure. Have a good night and tell Dani that I said hi.”

“Will do. See you,” Marc said quickly before hanging up the phone and tossing it down on the couch. He made his way over to the door, ignoring his boyfriend’s insistence that he didn’t need any help. He frowned when he saw that it was now raining heavily, little droplets making Dani’s dark hair glisten. The older man shut the door and the brought the supplies into the kitchen, setting them down on the granite worktop.

Marc began unpacking the bags immediately and it was only a little bit because he wanted to know what yummy things Dani had bought. Only a little bit. There was the usual necessary stuff like milk and bread, then there was the healthy but also necessary stuff like tomatoes and lettuce and then there was the stuff that Marc like the best like ice-cream (several flavours) and mini cakes and Swiss chocolate. He knew the last category was for his benefit seeing as they weren’t things that Dani would usually eat. _You really are the best._

They quickly put everything away and Dani grabbed two bowls, spoons and the tub of vanilla ice-cream. Once the frozen dessert was all dished out, they went to sit on the couch and Dani turned on the tv, flicking quickly to the Spanish channels that he received. _You really have everything here,_ Marc thought as he snuggled in to his boyfriend’s side.

“What did you get up to while I was gone?”

“I tweeted Valentino and I spoke to Alex. Told him all about Switzerland…” _Please skip over that first bit._

Dani tensed and turned to face the younger man, a look of disbelief on his face. “You tweeted Valentino? Why? What did you say?”

_Of course you wouldn’t ignore that._ Marc suddenly felt very sheepish. “I tweeted something and then he replied to it. I didn’t go out of my way to make contact with him.”

_I don’t really know what I was expecting. Of course you didn’t out us._ The older rider relaxed as he realised that he didn’t really have anything to worry about. Marc wouldn’t be that risky and Vale wouldn’t either… probably. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound like that.”

“No, it’s okay. Here, I’ll read the conversation to you…” He picked up his phone once again. It was still open on the mentions page so it didn’t take long. “Okay, so I said ‘Switzerland is beautiful’ and that I was glad that I got to visit properly and the Vale tweeted back saying ‘I’m sure you are. I know of a good tour guide if you’re interested…’- I think he was talking about you-“ Dani chuckled and rolled his eyes at that part, “And then I said no thanks and that I already had one but he was a bit grumpy- Ow! We really need to establish rules about hitting pregnant boyfriends!”

Dani feigned indignation. “I am not grumpy!”

Marc put on his most innocent face. “I know you’re not. Most people think you’re grumpy but you’re actually just a big marshmallow.”

Once again the older rider rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“I’m sorry. Can I make it up to you?” the twenty one year old wondered almost rhetorically as he didn’t wait for an answer before closing the distance between their lips. They kissed for about thirty seconds, both enjoying the taste of vanilla in each other’s mouth, before Dani pulled away with a mischievous grin on his face.

 “Is everything we do this weekend going to lead to sex?”

Marc put down his bowl on the coffee table and climbed into his boyfriend’s lap, straddling him. “I really hope so…”

_So do I._


	17. I guess this is what they call domestic bliss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... I'm not really 100% satisfied with this chapter... I'm just finding it really hard to get inspiration now that we've reached the *dreaded* summer break. But that ¿podemos ir más rápido? video... that was nice! Hahaha enjoy my lovelies :)

_What is that noise? It sounds like someone is dying. Am I still dreaming?_ Dani opened his eyes to the dim light of his bedroom- their bedroom. _Right._ He reached out a hand and felt the space behind him, confirming what he already knew. _Marc’s not there and I’m fairly certain that I know where he is._ Throwing back the covers, he pivoted, placing his feet on the soft carpet. Dani yawned and stretched briefly before padding his way across the room to the en-suite as the retching sound continued.

Deciding to give his boyfriend a little warning, he knocked softly on the door before opening it slightly and sticking his head in the crack. “Marc? Are you okay? Can I come in?”

Marc was down on his knees in front of the toilet looking like death had swallowed him and spat him out again. He didn’t even look up at his boyfriend, instead groaned something that was pretty much undecipherable.

_I’m going to pretend that was a yes to me coming in._ Dani pushed the door open further and lowered himself onto the cool tiles next to Marc who had stopped retching. For the time being anyway. The younger man relaxed back against him and Dani wrapped his arms around him. “I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“No, you should be saying ‘I’m sorry I _didn’t_ wake you up’. You know I want to help in any way I can seeing as it’s my fault that you’re in this position in the first place.”

Another groan. “I’m pretty sure it takes two to make a baby. Don’t blame yourself. And there’s nothing really that you can do to make it any better…”

Dani brushed the hair back off his boyfriend’s forehead in attempt to comfort him in whatever way possible. _I hate seeing you like this._ “How about I make you some peppermint tea?”

“That would be great, thanks. I actually think that I’m finished. Usually I can tell when it’s coming to an end…”

“Okay. I’ll let you get cleaned up while I go and make the tea. Actually, I never told you this yesterday. I got a very strange look from the woman in the supermarket yesterday. With all the peppermint tea and ice cream and chocolate I bought I think she thought that _I w_ as actually pregnant.” That earned a solid laugh from the younger man and Dani smiled. _There we go; there’s that laugh that I love so much._

“I’m sure she did.” Marc clambered to his feet once again, extending a hand to help his boyfriend up. Once Dani was standing, he leaned in to kiss the pregnant rider who in turn pulled swiftly away. “You really don’t want to kiss me right now.”

Dani rolled his eyes. “I think I do. Now pucker up!” Marc did exactly that, squeezing his lips as tightly together as possible. The older man gave him a brief kiss and smiled. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he asked rhetorically as he made his way to the bedroom. “Would you like your tea here or downstairs?”

“Depends, what time is it?”

Dani briefly glanced at the clock on the bedside locker. “It’s nearly ten.”

Marc frowned. _Maybe the sickness is getting a bit better?_ “Downstairs. I’m actually kinda hungry…”

_I’m sure you are._ “What would you like for breakfast?”

“Eggs?”

“I can do eggs. What way do you want them?”

“Fried. No, scrambled. Actually no, fried.”

Dani chuckled and arched an eyebrow, now leaning on the doorframe. “Final answer?”

The pregnant rider nodded emphatically. “Final answer.”

 

“So what do you want to do today?” Dani asked before taking a sip of his coffee, watching his boyfriend demolish his eggs.

Marc held up a finger and swallowed a few more mouthfuls before taking a sip of orange juice and wiping his mouth. _Those were some seriously good eggs._ The pregnant rider hesitated for a moment. “I was thinking that maybe Valentino was right…”

“You’ve been talking to Valentino again?”

“No! I mean what he said yesterday about a tour guide. Would you like to show me some of my future country of residence?”

_Your future country of residence. Gets better every time I hear it._ “Oh. Yeah, I’d love to. So is there anywhere in particular you would like to go?”

The younger man took another sip of his drink and gave a shrug of his shoulders. _Act natural. Don’t let him see your guilt._ “Don’t know. But I was thinking maybe it would enhance the experience if we rode instead of taking the car.” _Seemed non-chalant enough, didn’t it?_

Unfortunately, Dani immediately knew what he was up to. _You’re not that discreet._ He frowned, observing his boyfriend carefully for a moment. The request put him in a difficult position; he was caught between guilt that he was the reason Marc couldn’t ride anymore and worry for his safety. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s quite cold out today. The car would probably be a better choice.”

Marc glared at him for a moment. _Really? Do you honestly think I don’t see right through that?_ “Dani, it’s not like we’re going to be racing. There is this thing called a speed limit. All I’m asking for is a nice leisurely ride around Geneva. That’s not exactly dangerous.”

_No, it’s not but that doesn’t mean I don’t still worry._ Dani sighed, fidgeting with his cup of coffee absentmindedly. “You have to understand that I’m not purposely trying to be difficult, okay? I’m not just trying to annoy you.”

“I know. Which is why I have come up with a solution. I really just want to get on a bike so how you ride and I’ll take pillion? That way you’re the one in control.” _That seems fair, doesn’t it?_ To increase his chances of receiving a positive answer, Marc made his eyes look as puppyish as possible. _Come on, I’m too cute to resist. I’m also giving birth to your child._ “Please?”

If Dani felt his resolve wavering before, it was completely gone after seeing his boyfriend’s pleading look. It was actually slightly dangerous that Marc could actually have such an influence over him. The younger man would always have an advantage. “Pillion?”

Marc sat up straighter in his chair and nodded emphatically, grinning from ear to ear. “Pillion.”

_You’re really lucky that you’re so adorable…_ Dani found himself smiling. “Fine! You can ride pillion. But, so help me god, you better hold on tight.”

“I always hold on tight,” the younger man reminded him with a wink, earning a dramatic eye-roll from his boyfriend.

“Of course. So when do you want to leave?”

“Now, now, now!”

Dani stared at his boyfriend for a moment, shaking his head in amusement. _Are you twenty one or twelve?_ “You have to get proper gear on first. You are not going in jeans and a t-shirt…”

The pregnant rider grinned, getting up from the table and bringing his dishes over to the dishwasher. “I thought you might say that. None of yours will fit me so I brought my own just in case. I do need to borrow a helmet though.”

_Of course you did. You had this planned all along._ Dani followed the younger man’s lead, joining him in filling the dishwasher. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? Did anyone ever tell you that you are sly, Marquez?”

Marc grinned and pressed his lips against Dani’s tenderly. “Yes, but you still love me.”

Dani kissed him back eagerly. He moved slightly so that his hand was resting over Marc’s abdomen. The younger man then placed his hand over his boyfriends, creating a nice little moment. The domesticity of the whole thing what startling yet seemed completely right at the same thing. _Because this is the way it’s meant to be; me and you, you and me._ “Always.”

 

“Here, try this one,” Dani said, placing a red and black helmet in Marc’s hands. It was exactly what he thought the younger man would want; plain, inconspicuous and his colours- but apparently he had other ideas.

Marc examined the helmet in his hands briefly for a moment, a frown on his face. “Can’t I have one of _those_ ones?” he asked, putting on his puppy dog eyes once again he pointed to the shelf in the garage where all Dani’s helmets were displayed.

But that was the thing; they were _Dani’s_ helmets. The older man frowned, eyeing his boyfriend curiously. “You can have whatever one you want, I just thought you would want _that_ one.”

Marc placed the one that had been given to him back on the shelf. The one that Dani normally used was already perched on top of the bike they would be taking out so Marc knew that he had his pick of the rest. And he immediately saw the one he wanted. He picked it off the shelf before turning to face his boyfriend once again. “This one. I want to use this one.”

Dani suddenly got the impression that he knew what was going on because that helmet was one that he _never_ used and there was a reason for that. That reason came in the form of the word ‘PEDROSA’ written in large white letters on the back that really popped against the orange and the number ‘26’ emblazoned on the right side. _Of all the helmets in this garage you pick that one? But that’s exactly why you picked that one, isn’t it?_ “I didn’t know you were so possessive.”

_You should have heard what I was thinking when you were talking to that woman in the airport the other day…_ Marc grinned almost innocently. “You said I could pick any one I want.”

“Yes, I did and you can. I just didn’t think you’d go for the one with my name all over it. That’s not because I don’t want you to wear it. I just thought maybe you’d want to be inconspicuous.”

“Well yours says ‘Dani’ so that way we’ll both match. Don’t worry about it. Like you said before, no one really cares who you are here, right?”

Dani held up his hands. “If that’s the one you want to wear, go ahead and wear it. I’m just worried that you’re not thinking this through properly. It’s frustrating that we can’t just go out in public and hold hands and act like the couple we are, isn’t it? You sure you’re not doing this because you want to show people that we’re together while not exactly showing them that we’re together?”

Marc wanted to scowl and tell him to stop, that he was overthinking things but somewhere deep down he knew that his boyfriend was right but it still didn’t bother him as much as it probably should have. The pregnant rider shrugged. “If I can’t wear a helmet with your name on it then what can I do? Because that’s all it is- for anyone who wants to read into it- a helmet.” _But it is so much more to me._

Dani smiled softly and removed the item in question from his boyfriend’s hands. He leaned in, placing a chaste yet meaningful kiss on his lips before putting his helmet on for him. The older rider took a good step back. _I’m trying not to be too affected by the sight of you wearing my name and number._ “It suits you. Maybe you should wear the 26 more often…”

The Cerverino rolled his eyes and playfully pushed Dani. “My sponsors would love that, wouldn’t they? Me showing up at the races for the rest of the season in Dani Pedrosa gear. That would definitely nail my colours to the mast!”

“You’re just supporting the team.”

“Yeah… the ‘team’… More like my rival who everyone thinks I probably hate. Which I kinda do.”

Dani’s jaw dropped and he sent his boyfriend a look of complete disbelief.

Marc quickly held up his hands. “On track! I respect you but I want to win! But that also doesn’t mean that I won’t be cheering you on against Vale and Jorge for the rest of the season. If I can’t win the championship, someone else in this house should.”

Dani appreciated the sentiment though the younger man’s voice was incredibly muffled by the helmet. He knew that Marc was now his biggest fan (and vice versa). It was an interesting dynamic that, on paper, wouldn’t work with two unbelievably ambitious and (sometimes) stubborn men. But it did and Dani wasn’t going to question it. _If I win the championship, I’m going to dedicate it you and our baby._

Marc left the garage ahead of his boyfriend while Dani fired up the bike. They both knew that it was always easier and better to get it going with one passenger than two. Once the Dani was outside, Marc closed the garage before carefully climbing on the back of the bike. He shifted so that he was just the right distance away from the rider and his position was comfortable for them both but not too much so as to upset the balance of the bike.

Marc had to admit that, although he had ridden pillion before, it wasn’t that often. But he knew from people riding on the back of his bike what he was meant to do. The pregnant rider placed his left hand firmly on Dani’s waist and his right a couple of inches below Dani’s right shoulder to allow him to hang on during acceleration and brace himself during breaking. He did feel out of his comfort zone for a few minutes but after that Marc just relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of being back on a bike once again. The spike of adrenaline that he felt despite not being in control of the bike was like a high and he didn’t want it to ever stop.

Switzerland was beautiful. There was absolutely no doubt about that. The lakes, the buildings, the scenery… even in the not so cheerful weather Marc had to admit that it was pretty impressive. He could see why Dani loved the place so much. The atmosphere was completely different to Barcelona or anywhere else in Spain for that matter. Most importantly, he could see himself being happy there- he could see himself being happy with Dani and their baby there.

 

When they stopped to eat lunch in a laid back café, Marc got to work on the other part of his plan. He felt a little bit guilty about the whole thing seeing as Dani had reacted so well to his request but, frankly, he wouldn’t be Marc Marquez if he didn’t push it that little bit further. So he enjoyed their nice relaxing lunch and waited until they had coffee (well, coffee for Dani, hot chocolate for Marc which he begrudged just a little bit) to broach the subject.

“Dan-i?”

Dani stared at him long and hard, hearing the tone of the question, a wary expression on his face. _I know how you operate, Marquez. You never sound like that unless you want something… I’m worried…_ “Yeah?”

“Do you know how you love me, yeah?”

_This is going from bad to worse._ “What do you want, Marc? Dessert? Because you really don’t need to ask like that. A simple, ‘hey, let’s get dessert!’ will suffice…”

The pregnant rider tried his hardest to suppress a blush and failed miserably, having to fidget with his tall cup for a minute to calm himself. _He’s going to say no and get angry so why am I doing this again?_ “I was just wondering… if maybe- just maybe- you would allow me to ride the bike for a little while. Just five minutes! I really don’t mind I just really want to ride.”

Dani gave an exaggerated ‘ah’ before leaning back in his chair slightly. _How did I not see this coming?_ Despite himself, he chuckled. “I should have known that you wouldn’t have been happy with pillion. It probably would have been more surprising if you were happy…” There was a bit of a conflict raging inside of him. _Marc isn’t a dangerous rider. But he might push it too far. But I trust him. Because I may be older but he’s still ridden since he was four years old. But he’s pregnant… but he’d still be hurt just as much- no, more- if I crashed. I trust him._ “Okay.”

The younger rider’s jaw dropped dramatically. He had been just about to argue his case further before the positive answer fell from his boyfriend’s lips. _Did I really hear that? Surely it couldn’t be so easy…_ “W-what?”

“You can ride the bike back. I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to feel nervous or guilty about asking. I’m not being fair. I worry- you know I worry- but I need to cut you some slack. You’re not competing with anyone, you’re just riding. It’s not fair to take it away from you completely. So as long as you’re careful, I’ll be your pillion.”

Marc beamed, feeling completely overwhelmed with love for his boyfriend. He was so delighted that Dani got it and he just wanted to pull the older man across the table and kiss him until they both suffocated. But since he couldn’t, he settled for his trademark Marc Marquez (not the manipulative kind, the genuine kind). Marc coughed slightly, trying to keep his emotions in check. “I will! Thank you. Guess who’s getting special favours tonight…”

The older rider chuckled and shook his head. "I'm giving you what you want, you don't need to bribe me."

Marc just raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his drink. "I'm not bribing you. I'm  _informing_ you."

_Even better._

 


	18. A Quien le Voy a Contar Mis Penas

The heat hit Marc the minute he stepped off the plane in El Prat. Okay, so it wasn’t particularly warm in Barcelona but compared to the frigidness of Switzerland, he might as well have been in a sauna. Stopping to take in the feeling of heat on his skin for a moment, Dani had to give him a gentle push to keep going when he started to hold up the crowd of passengers who didn’t care that he was Marc Marquez. “Keep going you idiot. You’ve only been gone for three days.” He tried to sound serious but failed miserably, forever a slave to the cuteness that was his boyfriend.

“I thought I’d never see the sun again! Let me enjoy this moment!”

Dani just rolled his eyes and kept walking trying to ignore the voice in his head that was seriously wondering how Marc was going to survive once he was actually living in Geneva. That was something to worry about for another time. He kept walking for appearances, as people would expect an older rider who wasn’t completely in love with his team-mate to do. Dani was a good five paces ahead of said team-mate on the way to the terminal when his phone began to buzz in his pocket.

Altering the position of his bag so that he could successfully press the phone to his ear, Dani briefly checked the caller ID and sighed before deciding that he had to answer. “Hey Alberto.”

“Dani. Did you have a nice break?”

_You’re calling me to ask if I had a nice break?_ “Yeah? It was good… What’s up?”

“I just w-“

“Hey, Dani! Wait for me!” Marc exclaimed a little too loudly as he scurried to catch up with his boyfriend.

The older man squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. _You heard that, didn’t you?_ He didn’t acknowledge the sound in any way other than slowing down so that Marc fell in step with him once again.

“Oh. You’re with _him_?”

Dani really had to resist the urge to scowl at the way his manager had said ‘him’. He had informed his manager of the situation the day they went riding after Marc had fallen asleep on the couch. Needless to say, Alberto was completely shocked (in more ways than one) and his answer had been positive yet reserved at the same time. _You better not have a problem with Marc because if you do, then you have a problem with me too._ “Yeah. We just got off the plane. Back in Barcelona now.”

“Well that’s good because I was actually ringing to tell you that Honda want to do some testing tomorrow in Montmeló. You know, since we’ve got a newbie…”

_Tomorrow? No, I can’t do tomorrow. This is just great._ “What time?” Dani wondered, glancing briefly at his boyfriend who was now by his side, watching him with big brown eyes full of curiosity.

“Nine ‘till two.”

_Even better._ The HRC rider groaned internally, throwing his head back slightly in frustration. Of all of the days they had to pick tomorrow. Of all of the people to call to tell him about it, it had to be Alberto. He was Dani’s manager but still… The concern was evident on Marc’s face and his silently mouthed ‘what’s wrong?’. Dani just shook his head briefly. “I don’t think I can make it… or if I can I’ll have to leave early.” Marc’s appointment was at one just outside the city and there was no way he was missing that. He had promised he would be there.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. Alberto obviously wasn’t used to having such an answer from his rider. “What do you mean you don’t think you can make it? This isn’t some social gathering, this is your _job_. If Honda want you to test then you better well test. They need you there to help break in the new guy. So do you want to change your answer?”

“I can’t change it. I have a family commitment…”

“And by family commitment you mean a ‘Marc Marquez’ commitment, right? Him and his sprog…”

_Don’t get angry._ The rider bit his lip hard, fighting the urge to have a very adverse to the sarcasm in his manager’s voice.Most importantly, Dani didn’t want Marc to know that he was angry because he didn’t want him to know that Alberto hadn’t exactly come to terms with what was going on. It was probably best that they wouldn’t meet again for a while… He recalled how unamused his manager was when he jokingly said ‘At least you know he’s not taking me for my money’ after breaking the news. _But that’s my sprog too thank you very much._ “You can have me up until twelve thirty. No longer. If Honda really want me to be there they’ll bend a bit because there is no way I’m backing out of this.”

“Fine. _Fine._ I’ll get on to Livvio now. But this is all on you, Dani.”

“I know and I’m okay with that.”

“Okay. I’ll text you and let you know how they react. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Alberto,” Dani replied almost dismissively and ended the call. So far everyone had been more or less okay with his relationship with Marc- even Emilio- but of course Alberto had to be different. He knew that his manager wasn’t exactly on board with the whole thing but he needed him to know that there would be times now when he had to put Marc ahead of his work commitments.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything is fine. I’m needed at Montmeló tomorrow but I told Alberto that I need to be gone by twelve thirty so...” _Everything is not exactly_ fine _but I’m working on it._

“Oh.” Marc’s face fell slightly as he realised that this was it. Dani had just gotten a call about a testing session; a testing session that he was no longer invited too. He was officially being left behind. It was a difficult thing to come to terms with. “Yeah, I guess they do need you there. Just make sure that you give the new guy a bit of a hard time.”

Dani was suddenly incredibly saddened, because he could see right through the younger man. The look on Marc’s face was nearly enough to send him to tears, the soul crushingly disappointed look that he tried to hide by forcing a smile. “Like you even have to ask. I’m not going to be mean but I am going to make sure he knows what side I’m on.”

A smile that was a lot more genuine broke through the façade on the younger man’s face. “You’re on your own side,” he chuckled, wanting nothing more than to reach out and grasp Dani’s hand for security.

“You see that’s where you’re wrong. I am _massive_ fan of this kid. Marc something or other. It’s kinda a little bit of an obsession… but that’s okay because he is going to be the greatest rider the world has ever seen. He’s going to beat the Doctor’s record no matter what happens. Because he’s the ant, not the walrus.”

“You are such a dork, do you know that?” Marc said but it did nothing to hide the emotion in his voice. And it was okay because he knew that Dani knew exactly what he was thinking. His smile said everything he needed to say.

 

Both Marc and Dani were welcomed by with open arms by the rest of the Marquez family. The mood in the house had changed significantly though since they last time they were there. And that was completely down to Marc and Dani. Because things were different now. They were still in the honeymoon stage of being ridiculously in love and sickeningly sweet but they now knew that those days were numbered. Very soon they would be going their own way for a while with little time that they were absolutely sure they could spend together.

The subject of Marc visiting for the various races came up that afternoon over dinner and the pregnant rider tensed visibly. He was confused by how dramatically things had turned around and his fluctuating emotions were making the whole thing even harder to come to terms with.

Dani, who wanted more than anything to have his boyfriend there at the races, tried not to be disheartened too much when Marc replied with a simple ‘We’ll see’ and a tight smile before moving on to the next topic of conversation. The older rider had then exchanged a glance with Alex and the youngest Marquez gave him a nod that said ‘I’ll work on it’.

The couple were lying tangled up on the one of the couches in the family room an hour or so later when Marc got the text from Shuhei.

‘We’ve just made the announcement. You’re officially injured.’

The pregnant rider’s heart had practically stopped when he read the message and he had no idea why. It had been the plan ever since they had that meeting. He had been expecting it. Then why did the announcement take him so off guard. Dani watched the younger man carefully, quickly deducing that it wasn’t a good reaction on the younger rider’s part. He firmly grasped Marc’s hand as he sat up, looking more shell-shocked than he had ever seen him. _This is killing me. Seeing you like this is killing me._

Marc glanced at his watch briefly before reaching out and grabbing the remote. It was just right in time for the evening news. _Am I important enough to make the news? Probably not but still…_ The pregnant rider remained rigidly in place as they watched the news, neither saying a word. Dani held his boyfriend tightly just to reassure him that he was still there, that he had him no matter what.

Finally, they got to the sports news. Marc was surprised to find his picture on the screen right after the updates on the weekend’s football scores.

_‘The Repsol Honda MotoGP team have just released a statement announcing that Marc Marquez, who is a strong favourite to win this year’s World Championship, has been ruled out of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix after doing damage to his right arm during a training session. The extent of the twenty one year old rookie’s injury is not yet known and it is uncertain whether or not he will be fit to race in Australia in two weeks’ time. Marquez currently leads the championship ahead of team-mate and rival, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo of Movistar Yamaha.’_

And with that it was done.

There was silence between the couple for a moment before Dani gave a weary sigh and tightened his grip on the younger man’s shoulders. “Marc, I-“

“I’m tired. I think I want to go to bed,” Marc stated plainly and with a worrying lack of emotion in his voice.

_This isn’t good._ Dani suddenly felt a dull yet excruciating pain inside himself for his boyfriend. He blinked a couple of times trying to think of an appropriate way to react. “Okay. Do you want to go alone or would you like me to come with you?” _Do you want me to sleep in the spare room?_

“Come.” The reply was so low and weak that Dani doubted that he even heard it before Marc rose and feebly grasped the older man’s hand. In silence once again, the couple made their way up the down the corridor, passing a very worried looking Julia and Roser, and up the stairs to Marc’s bedroom.

Lifelessly, the younger rider removed everything bar his boxers and climbed into bed, pulling the covers up as far as they would go. Dani took a little longer. He needed time to gather himself for fear that he was just going to break down and cry in heartbreak for his boyfriend. He took deep breaths and waited about thirty seconds before joining Marc in bed, shaking as he wrapped his arms around him.

Marc’s phone suddenly came to life, beeping and buzzing and ringing, notifying him of tweets and messages and phone calls. All messages of sympathy no doubt. Dani reached over and grabbed the phone, silencing it.

“I should probably say something,” Marc stated, gesturing haphazardly to his phone.

_You’re talking again._ “You don’t need to do anything now. I’m sure people will understand. Or I could write something for you? If you want…”

A brief and unenthusiastic nod. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”

“Okay.”

Marc relaxed into his boyfriend’s arms and Dani felt like finally they were getting somewhere. That was until the silent sobs began and Dani felt emotional pain that he had never experienced before. It was possibly the biggest low of his life as those sobs became audible and he could do nothing but hold the younger man as he cried and held his stomach. Tears began to run down Dani’s cheeks and it became harder to breathe but he had to be strong for Marc. _I did this to you. I caused you all this pain and I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know if I c_ an _fix it._

He continued to stroke Marc’s hair as the sobs got worse and then eventually softened as Marc cried himself to sleep. Dani never hated himself as much in his life. It made him want to physically be sick. The thing was, he couldn’t even begin to contemplate how it would feel if the situation was reversed- if Marc was the one holding him as he cried himself to sleep. And if he hadn’t already seen his boyfriend so happy and excited, Dani wouldn’t have been able to live with the guilt. That was all that kept him going. _This is just a low. It’s about as low as you can get but it’s just a low. Tomorrow when you see the baby properly for the first time it will feel better. When you hold him or her in your arms for the first time, you’ll forget about all this… Hopefully._

Once his own tears had stopped falling and once he was fully sure that Marc was asleep, Dani picked up the phone once again. There were hundreds of mentions and as many texts but he didn’t bother reading those. Dani just went straight to Twitter and clicked the compose tweet button. He contemplated what he should say for a moment, what Marc would want him to say, fingers hovering over the touch screen before he finally thought of something.

@marcmarquez93: Really disappointed about this injury but I’m going to keep fighting. Thanks for all your support #theant

Once that was sent, Dani put down the phone and stayed awake for the rest of the night.


	19. Holding Out For Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all once again for all your support so far! This is by far the most successful story I've ever written so <3 I quite enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you enjoy it!

Dani didn’t wake Marc up when he got up at seven the next morning. He just shifted very carefully out of the younger man’s grasp and placed an equally gentle kiss on his forehead, grabbing his bag so that he could get changed in the bathroom. The HRC rider assumed that the house would be quiet at that hour of the morning so he was surprised when he walked into the kitchen and saw Roser, Julia and Marc sitting at the counter, engaged in a very serious looking conversation.

Dani stopped in his tracks, not wanting to intrude but all chances of escape were eliminated when Marc’s mother caught sight of him. “Morning, Dani,” she smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes like it normally did. There were dark circles under her eyes and she looked exhausted. Julia acknowledged him with a nod of his head and filled another cup of coffee.

“Morning.” _What do I say? What can I say?_ The MotoGP rider said awkwardly as his boyfriend’s father pushed the newly poured cup of coffee in his direction.

“You look like you need it. I don’t think anyone in this house got much sleep last night…”

Dani gratefully took the drink and leaned back against the sink. “Marc did. But it took a while…”

Roser flinched visibly and her husband wrapped his arm around her waist. Dani really hated himself for causing this family so much pain. “We know. We heard him crying.”

And with that Dani felt like he was going to be physically sick. He put down the coffee cup on the counter and rubbed his face wearily, trying his hardest not to break down and cry. He wasn’t usually one for showing his emotions but it was nearly impossible not to in this case. _I wouldn’t blame you if you all hated me._ Tears began to trickle down his cheeks once again. “I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. And I know it won’t change anything now but-“

“Dani, stop,” Julia cut him off swiftly, “It’s easy to see just how hurt _you_ are by this whole thing. We all are because none of us want to see him like that but it’s not your fault. You have to stop putting all the blame on yourself. Anyone can see that Marc is completely in love with you and he’s completely in love with that baby too. He just wasn’t as prepared as he thought he was for how different things would be.”

It was nothing that he didn’t know already but somehow hearing someone else saying it, one of the people who knew Marc better than anyone, had a much bigger effect on him. Dani sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. “I know. It’s just having him lie there in my arms and cry himself to sleep was undoubtedly the worst moment of my life. I would have given anything to stop him from hurting.”

Roser smiled sadly and nodded. “That just shows how much you love _him._ Give him time, I promise in a couple of hours he’ll be a completely different person. He’ll be our Marc again.”

 _I really hope you’re right._ Dani finished his coffee and ate some breakfast, trying to chat with Alex as he usually did before heading to the city. As he drove out of Cervera in the rental car he’d gotten the previous day, he’d never felt so guilty. The HRC rider knew that he should have been there for Marc when he woke up and the fact that he couldn’t was eating away at him. He also felt bad that his boyfriend had to head to the clinic without him. Of course, Alex would be with him but Dani felt it was a journey that they should take together. As much as it pained him to admit, things were certainly getting a lot more complicated.

 

On the way to Montmeló, Dani’s phone rang and he answered it instantly, expecting (hoping, praying) it to be Marc. He was more than a little disappointed when he was greeted with a ‘Ciao’.

Dani sighed, trying to keep it low enough that Valentino wouldn’t hear him. “Hey, Vale.”

“Hi. Is Marc okay? I heard the news last night…”

 _That’s the million euro question._ “Honestly? I don’t think so. But I think he will be.”

“Well we all know how he feels. Injuries are the worst thing ever. He seemed optimistic enough from his tweet last night. How long do you think he’ll be out? Are we talking two races?”

The Honda rider chuckled humourlessly. “I would have been ecstatic if he could have actually tweeted that by himself last night. It was me. Marc he… he wasn’t in a good state. It’s pretty bad. Apparently he’ll be _very_ lucky to be back before the end of the season.” It startled him how easy the lie seemed.

There was a small gasp on the other end of the line. “It’s that bad?”

“Yeah, it’s that bad. It’s not career ending bad though so I suppose that’s a good thing.” _I’m actually believing this myself. How is it coming so naturally?_

“Yeah, that is a good thing. Are you guys still in Geneva? Is that where he got injured?”

Dani frowned, keeping his eyes focused completely on the stretch of road in front of him. “No, we’re back in Barcelona. I’m on my way to Montmeló now. I got a call from Alberto yesterday telling me that Honda wanted an emergency testing session or something to get this new guy some proper experience on the bike before the weekend. I hated leaving him but I had to go…”

“Wow. You guys are actually kinda serious, aren’t you? It’s not just a casual thing?”

“It’s not just a casual thing,” the younger man confirmed.

“Who would have thought? The very serious Dani Pedrosa and the incredibly annoyingly happy Marc Marquez…”

“Hey! On both accounts. We’re happy. At least we were until last night but I think we’ll be happy again soon,” _very soon_ , “It’s just like you and Lorenzo,” he added the last part on just to annoy the more experienced rider.

“That’s not even funny. You know that was a one-time thing. Well… it was more than one time but you get what I’m saying.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, Dani smiled and it felt almost genuine. “I still think you’re both just in denial.”

“We’re really not. God, could you imagine us as a couple? We’d kill each other.”

“Just adds a bit of spice.”

“Is that what you and Marc like? Spice? I bet he goes for really kinky stuff… He can’t be as innocent as he seems.”

 _Oh he is definitely not innocent. I still have the dent of his teeth on my thigh from the other night to prove that…_ “I am so not discussing our sex life with you, thank you very much. What about Jorge, huh? Is he as innocent as he seems?” Dani asked sarcastically, not expecting an answer to that. Which is why he was incredibly surprised (and disturbed) when he got one.

The sound of Vale’s laughter filled the car. “Jorge is the furthest thing from innocent you can get, trust me. He did this thing one time where he took his-“

Dani’s eyes widened. _Stop stop stop stop stop._ “Ugh. No, don’t even finish that. I _really_ don’t want to know what you and Jorge get up to in your own time.”

“Aw. I thought we could swap stories.”

“Yeah, well you can swap stories with somebody else. Try Cal. You might have better luck with him.”

“Good idea. I’ll ring him up and complain that you won’t tell me any details about your intimate relationship with the boy wonder.”

Dani shook his head to himself, a somewhat amused smile on his face. “Don’t you dare! Seriously, no-one else finds out about my relationship with Marc, okay? You wouldn’t even know if you didn’t have seriously creepy detective skills.”

“I won’t say a word. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Good. Now I’ll talk to you later because I’m just around the corner from Montmeló and I’m already in enough trouble with Alberto as it is…”

“Okay. Do you think it would be okay if I texted Marc? Wish him a speedy recovery and everything?”

 _Well the whole world seems to have done that so I don’t see why not. That’s if he even looks at his phone or any of the messages._ “Sure. Just make sure that it’s encouraging but not patronising. He was asleep when I left so I’m not sure what kind of mood he’s in…”

“Okay- wait! Are you telling me that you’re staying with the rest of the Marquez clan?”

“Yeah. They all actually like me, you know.”

“Alright but it just seems a little weird… Do they let you sleep in the same bed? Or even the same room? Do you have to bunk in with Alex?”

Once again Dani rolled his eyes. He really didn’t know why he was even friends with Vale sometimes. “Yes we sleep in the same bed! He’s twenty one! And I’m hanging up now before you start asking any more weird questions.”

“Okay. Bye!” The Italian said briskly and hung up the phone.

 _‘Do you have to bunk in with Alex?’_ Seriously, Marc wasn’t exactly fifteen! He was old enough that he could be trusted to sleep in the same bed as his boyfriend without having wild passionate sex all night while his parents were in the next room. Well, most of the time anyway…

 

Dani was forced to greet Marc’s replacement with a tight smile under Alberto’s watchful eye. The kid was nice and quite quick from what he had seen of him before but he was still no Marc Marquez. There wasn’t much interaction between the two riders after that introduction. Dani quickly moved into his part of the garage, feeling a little lonely when he looked over and didn’t see that particular look of concentration his boyfriend always had on his face when Marc’s bike was being set up. _This is what it’s going to be like for a couple of months. Lonely._

Dani put in a couple of really good lap times before being summoned by Livio and Shuhei. First they both quietly offered him their congratulations on the news that he was going to become a father and then they asked about Marc. They asked a lot about Marc.

“How is he doing? I didn’t know whether to call him before the announcement or not and I tried to call him after but there was no reply…” Nakamoto asked, his voice hushed. It must have looked suspicious; the three of them huddled together and speaking quietly but none of them really cared.

“He didn’t take it too well, let’s just say that. And it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that you didn’t call him beforehand. Honestly, that really wouldn’t have made a difference. He didn’t realise how disappointing it was going to feel.”

Livio, who had his arms folded across his chest, nodded seriously. “He’s definitely allowed to feel disappointed but he’ll bounce back won’t he? It’s the Marc Marquez way. He’s not going to get depressed without riding, is he?”

 _God I hope not._ Dani frowned. “I don’t think so. He was perfect up until yesterday. We were in Geneva for the weekend and we went riding leisurely and that made him feel a lot better about the whole thing so I’d say as long as he isn’t left to mope about the place he’ll be okay.”

“Do you think he’ll come to some of the races? Julia will most likely be going for Alex anyway so he should go with them. Make sure that he knows that he’s welcome here with us any time he wants. If he wants to be kept busy we can find something for him to help with or he can just sit in the garage and watch you race.”

Dani could honestly say that he would love that; having Marc there to cheer him on. Even knowing that he was there would be a massive boost. But at the same time he still understood his boyfriend’s reluctance. “I don’t know, honestly. Marc seemed pretty negative about it… but then again he was asked yesterday and yesterday was a bit of an off day for him. I personally think that he’ll go to at least one just out of curiosity if nothing else.”

Shuhei chuckled. “And he’ll have to come to Valencia if none of you can catch him on points.”

The rider froze for a moment. He’d never thought of that. Unless there was no conceivable way that he could win the championship, Marc would have to be there. “You’re right.” As he spoke, his phone buzzed in his hand. Dani kept it close in case Marc tried to contact him but up until then there was nothing. He glanced at the screen, unable to hide his disappointment. “It’s Alex…” he quickly opened the message.

‘We’re about a half hour from Barcelona now. Don’t worry too much, old Marc is starting to reappear.’

Dani smiled and let out a big sigh of relief. Even a chuckle or two escaped his mouth. _I trust Alex’ judgement and if he says Marc’s coming back then he is._ “They’re on their way to the city now and apparently Marc is feeling a lot better.”

Both the VP and the team principal seemed relieved to hear that. “That’s good news.”

“Yeah it is. But I have to get going soon to make it to the clinic in time or he’s going to be in an ever worse mood.”

“Yes, of course. Everything is alright, isn’t it? You know, with the baby?” Livio asked, quietening his even more on the last couple of words.

Dani nodded. “Yeah everything is fine. We’re just going for our twelve week scan. Marc got checked out in the hospital and everything was perfect then but I think we need to see a specialist anyway. Plus, he’s really excited to see it- well, we’re both excited.”

 “That’s understandable. Make sure you give him our best. Or don’t, depending on what kind of mood he’s in,” the VP said playfully.

That warranted a very genuine chuckled from the rider _._ “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.” _At least they get it._


	20. The Twenty Seventh of March

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time for us to see baby! ... well obviously we're not going to see it but I'm going to describe the scene to you! Thank you for everything so far! <3
> 
> Oh yeah, has everyone seen Faster? Is it just me or does Marc look like a little confused puppy that needs Dani to lead him around for the majority of the video? Haha don't give up the day job Marc ;) Acting isn't really for you!

Dani made good time and ended up at the clinic on the outskirts of Barcelona a good fifteen minutes before he was supposed to meet Marc. Alex had texted and said that they were about ten minutes away so rather than sitting in his car, or going inside and sitting by himself attracting attention, he decided to go a shop across the road. Thinking it may be nice to get his boyfriend something nice to ease as a surprise (and an apology), he spent about five minutes looking around. _What will I get him? What would really put a smile on his face?_

He eventually decided on some churros con chocolate and a bag of tortilla chips, thinking that those would satisfy whatever mood he was in. As luck would have it, Marc was just getting out of the car when Dani left the shop. What immediately hit him was the fact that he was wearing a sling on his right arm and he waved as Alex drove away again with his left. _Not only do you not get to race, you have to pretend not to have use of one of your arms too…_

The older rider briefly looked both ways before hurrying across the street to meet his boyfriend. To his extreme pleasure and relief, Marc greeted him with a devastatingly beautiful smile. They didn’t kiss or even hug for fear of being seen but Dani could really feel the shift in the younger man’s mood. _You’re back to your usual self._ “Hi.”

The older man breathed a sigh of complete relief. “Hey. I’m sorry I left before you woke up this morning.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m sorry about last night. It wasn’t my finest moment…”

_Do you seriously think you need to apologise about that?_ “Don’t, okay? Don’t apologise. There’s really no need. As long as you’re feeling better now?”

Marc nodded, making it very clear his enthusiasm had since returned. “I’m much better now. Except from this stupid sling. That’s kinda annoying… But I am v _ery_ excited. Speaking of which, we should probably go inside… you know, in case anyone spots us.”

Dani nodded, wanting nothing more to just touch his boyfriend in some way and know for sure that everything is okay. “I arrived a bit early so I picked you up something nice,” he said with a smile and handed the younger man the bag.

“Churros and tortillas! You really are the best, Dani. I’m starving!”

The pregnant rider wasted no time in inspecting what was in the bag as Dani held the glass door of the clinic open for him. He couldn’t help but laugh as Marc tried not to use his right hand and failed miserably. _Let’s hope you get used to that soon._ “You’re welcome.”

When they reached reception, Dani went to wait by the elevators while Marc found out where they were meant to go. ‘First floor, waiting room is at the end of the corridor’. The couple followed the directions, Marc growing quieter as they neared closer and closer. Dani gave his boyfriend’s ‘good’ hand a quick squeeze, sensing his nerves, and quietly assured him that everything would be fine.

It turned out the waiting room wasn’t exactly like any other waiting room either had been in before. It was minimalistic and only contained a cream leather two-seater, a coffee table with neatly stacked magazines and a stand with a small fridge containing bottles of water that had a card saying ‘help yourself’ in cursive writing perched on top of it. What was most striking about it, however, was that it was evidently only designed for one or two people unlike the majority of waiting rooms. _Roser really wasn’t kidding when she said it was private…_

Marc and Dani sat down on the couch and it wasn’t long before the former starting tucking in to the goodies that his boyfriend had bought for him. Dani was very surprised when Marc actually offered him a bite of one of his churros. “I hope we’re not waiting too long… the secretary told my mother that my bladder had to be full so I drank about four bottles of water in the car on the way here.”

“I’m sure one would have done the job…”

“Yeah but I wanted to be absolutely sure. So, how was testing. Were they all crying because they missed me so much?”

Dani gave a brief roll of his eyes and smiled affectionately. “It was good and, yes, they were all very worried about you. Livvio and Shuhei asked me how you were.”

Marc froze for a moment, swallowing his mouthful of churro. “And what did you say to that?”

_You don’t have to be embarrassed about being upset._ “I told them that you were disappointed but that you’d be okay. Which is the truth, right?”

The younger man sighed and nodded, gaze now on the floor. “Yeah. Again, I’m really sorry about last night. I can’t imagine how it must have felt for you. Alex… Alex mentioned that you blamed yourself. That was the last thing I wanted. I’m sorry I made you think that.”

Dani reached out and took his hand, satisfied that no-one was going to see him. Seeing Marc feeling guilty about making him feel guilty was probably an even worse feeling. “Let’s just forget about that, okay? It’s over. Like you said, it was your finest moment and it wasn’t mine either. This is a happy moment. So no talking about sad things. Just…”

“Happy?” Marc offered, a smile now overtaking his face once again.

The older man grinned and leaned in to place a kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. “Exactly.”

Thankfully they were called soon after that because Marc began to complain that he really needed to use the bathroom. Dani laughed briefly, stopping quickly when he received a deathly glare from the pregnant rider. During the short walk down the corridor to the doctor’s office, Marc removed the sling knowing it really wasn’t needed right then. Dani could tell that it was starting to get on his nerves though and offered to hold it until they were leaving.

The doctor was nice and instantly made them both feel comfortable, especially Marc who had gone visibly tense once again upon entering the clinical looking room. Dr. Suárez pulled up a chair for Dani and requested that Marc hop up on the examination couch and make himself comfortable. The younger rider carried out the task with such grace that Dani had to blink a couple of times; especially when his boyfriend’s shirt rode up slightly to display a portion of his still very impressive abs. If he had forgotten, the twenty eight year old was then reminded of how they came to be in that office in the first place.

The doctor first asked a lot of different questions, jotting down the information in Marc’s file as his patient spoke. Dani listened with interest as the two men conversed, intrigued by the little details he was learning about what his boyfriend was experiencing and what he should expect. Dr. Suárez noted fairly quickly that Marc really was very small for how far along he was and doubted that he would ever get really big as a result of his fitness. The Cervera native was relieved to hear that. It would allow him more time in the public eye without it being completely evident what was going on.

“So would you like to see the little one?” the doctor asked with a smile once he had collected all the information that he needed.

“Yes,” the pregnant rider replied before the man barely had the question out of his mouth. A grin took over Dani’s face at the younger man’s excitement. Of course he was very excited too but Marc was always more… comfortable expressing things. He had to take a deep breath when what was happening really hit him as the doctor squirted some jelly-like substance over his boyfriend’s abdomen. _How did we get here?_ Mentally telling himself not to get over emotional, Dani reached out and grasped Marc’s hand tightly as the younger man gasped at how cold it was.

Dr. Suárez only had to move the scanner around for a couple of seconds before he found what he was looking for and gave a happy ‘ah’. He closely examined the screen for a moment before turning to face the expectant parents. “Well, Marc, Dani; that,” he pointed to a little white blob amongst the black and grey, “is your baby. As you can see, it’s still incredibly small but it seems to be perfectly healthy.”

Dani’s and Marc’s eyes immediately found each other, expressions of awe and extreme happiness on both of their faces. Dani squeezed his boyfriend’s hand tighter and brought it briefly to his lips. Seeing their soon-to-be son or daughter was the most incredible thing. The little being that they had created out of their love for each other.  _This is the most amazing moment of my life, bar none._

The doctor smiled at the both of them, having seen similar reactions many times before. He considered it to be one of the biggest perks of the job, seeing the unadulterated joy on parents’ faces when they saw their baby properly for the first time. “It’s incredible, isn’t it?”

The pregnant rider gave an emphatic nod, bringing his gaze back to the screen once again as tears filled his eyes. _That’s my baby. It may just be a little blob but it’s_ my _little blob. Mine and Dani’s._ And it was growing inside of him. Marc suddenly found himself completely overwhelmed. It was almost too much to believe; that he and Dani were together, that they loved each other, that they were going to have a baby, that they were looking at that baby right now... “It is,” he finally managed to choke out.

“There’s the head. And that there is an arm… and here’s a leg…”

What shocked Dani the most was the love that he now felt for that miniscule baby. It seemed almost absurd, loving someone that you haven’t even met yet so much. Someone that they didn’t even know was a girl or boy yet. Someone that didn’t have features or a personality. But yet he did. And that was because that someone was made by him and Marc and that was enough for him. “I can’t wait to meet him or her.”

“Ah, which brings me to the next thing. The birth. You’re twelve weeks now so your baby was conceived around the week of the fifteenth of July so that means you’re due to give birth on the tenth of April. I think to be on the safe side that we should consider going two weeks before that. Just so that there is less chance of complications. It will still be perfectly safe for you and the baby it just makes things a bit… safer. Are you comfortable with that?”

Marc frowned. _April? I’m going to miss the start of the season. I had planned on that anyway but I expected healing time to be included…_ “Yes. I’m okay with that.” The disappointment evaporated quickly with the realisation that when the time came, the start of the season was probably the last thing he would be worried about.

“Excellent. So shall we say the twenty seventh of March?”

Both Dani and Marc exchanged a look. They that they were both thinking the same thing. There was a deadline on this pregnancy and that was it. By that date they would have their baby. It was as scary as it was exciting. Marc took a deep breath and nodded. “The twenty seventh of Marc. Actually, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

The pregnant rider hesitated for a moment as his doctor wiped his stomach clean once again. “You’re absolutely certain it’s only one baby? I mean, we’re not going to come in in a couple of weeks and find out that we’re having twins, are we?”

Dani rolled his eyes at his boyfriend’s question, an amused smile playing on his lips. _You had to ask, didn’t you?_

Dr. Suárez chuckled softly. “It’s unlikely but it can happen. I wouldn’t say that you would have to be too worried, however. This scan was pretty clear and I’m ninety per cent certain there’s only one. But, again, it’s not to say that it couldn’t happen.”

Satisfied with that answer, Marc nodded once again and pulled down his shirt. “Those odds are good.” _Thank god._

“Are you happy now?” Dani asked playfully.

“Yes,” the younger man grinned and kissed his boyfriend. _You can’t even begin to imagine._

 

 

The rest of the Marquez family were waiting impatiently it seemed for Marc and Dani to arrive home. Roser, Julia and Alex were in the sitting room half-watching some overly dramatic telenovela when the couple joined them. Dani proudly wrapped his arm around his boyfriend’s waist as Marc enthusiastically informed his family that everything was perfect with the baby (singular) and that he or she would be joining them on the twenty seventh of March, all things going according to plan.

His mother practically cried when they showed her the ultrasound printout and Julia had to console his wife while the three riders looked on curiously. Roser kept muttering things about ‘her baby’ and ‘my baby’s baby’. One thing was for sure though, the word ‘grandchild’ was most definitely not thrown around.

After a lengthy conversation about most things baby related, the rest of the family announced that they were leaving for the night.

_Wait, what?_ “Where are you going?” Marc asked, suddenly sitting up a lot straighter. It wasn’t like his family to make plans and not inform him. That only served to further the notion that things really were changing. He wasn’t a part of the family like Alex still was anymore. It wasn’t that they loved him any less, it was just that he was his own person now.

Julia and Roser exchanged a smiled. “We’re going to visit your grandparents. We thought that it would be nice for you and Dani to have some... space for yourselves since he’s leaving tomorrow.”

Both Marc and Dani felt equally touched by the gesture. Sure, they would have both liked to be alone for the night but they never expected the rest of the Marquezes to leave the house. “You don’t need to do that,” Dani tried to assure them but Julia was having none of it.

“Well too bad because we’re going. Today has been a huge day for the both of you and you need time to just take it all in,” he didn’t flinch at the little giggle that escaped Alex’s lips, earning a glare from his older brother, “Plus, it’s going to be hard for you to spend time together over the next two months so leaving you two to it tonight is the least we can do.”

Everyone knew that there was no point arguing so Marc and Dani just thanked the rest of the family with enormous gratitude and saw them off. As soon as they pulled away in the car, the reality of what had happened hit them.

“We’ve got the house to ourselves for the night,” Dani commented.

Marc grinned and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. “Yes we have and we are most definitely going to make the most out of it.”


	21. A Week Isn't That Long

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a bit of a mini heart attack this morning because this chapter was labelled chapter 22 and I thought I skipped a chapter somewhere along the way but, alas, there were just two labelled 22. 
> 
> And, by the way, what's the deal with Valencia?? Everyone seems to be like 'ooh Valencia' (insert ominous tone here), do you guys know something that I don't? ;) hahaha

Make the most out of that night they did. It was glorious (once they got over the fact that Marc parents knew very well what they were going to get up to); hours and hours of what seemed like never ending bliss with not as much as one mention of Dani’s departure the following morning. All guilt about forcing the rest of the Marquezes out of their house was quickly forgotten about and the made the most of the time they had left together. Bodies were explored, lips collided, things were promised, assurances that their future was together… it was perfect.

The next morning was a complete different story. The security blanket that was there the previous night was now gone, leaving them to face reality once again. It all ended with the ringing of Dani’s alarm at eight o’clock. Both riders were rudely awoken by the invasive noise and Dani reached out his arm, fumbling with his phone for a few moments before finally managing to silence it. He didn’t even bother saying sorry about waking Marc because if he did he knew the younger man would only get upset that he was considering leaving without saying goodbye.

The pregnant rider immediately cuddled closely into his boyfriend’s side as if he was holding on for dear life. Dani frowned and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. _I would give anything to just stay here with you. I don’t want to leave._ They laid there, still as if they were asleep, for a couple of minutes until Dani knew that he really had to get going. With a sigh, he placed a kiss on top of his boyfriend’s head. “Marc, I have to go shower now if I want to make it to the airport in time for my flight…” The words caught in his throat.

“I know. I suppose joining you is out of the question then?”

_Absolutely._ “I’d never make it to Sepang if you did.”

_Maybe that’s not such a bad thing?_ Marc knew immediately after that thought crossed his mind that it wasn’t true. Dani had to go and compete and win the world championship and if that meant that he had to leave him behind for a little while then so be it. Because Marc knew; he knew that Dani had worked his whole life for this chance and if he somehow wanted to let it pass, Marc would never let him. Because he understood. And maybe that was his problem.

The pregnant rider gave his boyfriend a little push, forcing a smile onto his face. “Go. I’ll make some breakfast. How about pancakes? I’m in the mood for pancakes.”

_You’re trying to be strong but you’re forgetting that I see right through you._ Dani smiled sadly and gently pressed his lips against the younger man’s. “Pancakes are perfect.”

Marc just pulled on a pair of boxers, reminding Dani where the towels were in case he had forgotten, before leaving his boyfriend alone to get ready. He padded down the hall to the kitchen where he quickly got his hands on the flour and eggs and everything necessary to make breakfast. Marc quickly decided that it was a good idea. Measuring out everything and making the batter was a good means of distracting him from what was going on. Until his phone rang while he was just about to make the first pancake.

Without looking at the caller ID, he answered it, balancing his phone between his shoulder and his ear. “Hello?”

“Good, you’re up.” Alex. “Has… has Dani left yet?”

The pregnant rider frowned while moving the pan to spread the pancake properly. “No, he’s in the shower. I’m just making breakfast now.”

“Good. Is there any chance you could ask him if I could ride to the airport with him? I forgot to last night with everything that was happening.”

“Sure. I’ll ask but I really don’t think he’ll have a problem with it. One minute, I’ll do it now so you can get over here as quick as possible…” Marc turned down the heat on the pan and jogged back to his room. He knocked on the door and immediately felt silly about it. “Dani?”

“Yeah?” the older man answered, pulling open the door to reveal himself in nothing but a towel, drops of water glistening over his body and hair.

It took a moment for Marc to realise that he had been silently staring. He cleared his throat, remembering the phone in his hand. “Umm… Alex wants me to ask you if it would be okay for him to ride with you to the airport…”

Dani cocked his head to the side, observing his boyfriend curiously before bending down to pick up a Honda t-shirt from his bag. “You really had to ask me that? I was going to swing by and pick him up anyway. There’s no point in taking two cars if we’re going to the same place…”

_Of course you were. Because you’re Dani and you think of things like that._ “Oh. Okay. I’ll tell him.” He practically had to tear his eyes away from his boyfriend, merely giving him a smile before walking away for fear of physically being unable to refrain from jumping him. “Alex? Yeah, he says that’s fine. So do you want him to pick you up there or are you coming here?”

“I’m coming home. There are a few things I need to get anyway and besides, I want to see you before I go.”

_Yeah, you’re leaving too._ Marc squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “Okay, I’ll keep you some pancakes. See you soon.”

 

When the time came to say goodbye, Alex went first. He hugged his older brother and told him he’d miss him, promising to call every night before heading out to the car to give the couple space to say goodbye. He could only imagine how hard it would be for the both of them and the last thing he wanted to do was make it any worse.

Once Alex had left, Marc and Dani stood in the hallway in silence for a prolonged moment. They both stared at the other intently but neither knew what to say. It was slightly unbelievable that for the first time in what seemed like forever, they wouldn’t be together. Even when they weren’t a couple, they were always around each other. Marc had to try his hardest not to cry; because however hard it was for Dani to leave, he was the one being left behind. Dani would go to Sepang and he would undoubtedly miss him, but the older rider would have Vale and the Espargarós and Cal and even Alex. And Marc had no idea what he was going to do when he was all alone.

Dani made the first move. He pulled his boyfriend firmly into his arms as if his life depended on it. He felt the tension leave Marc’s body as he relaxed, almost hopelessly, against him. “I wish I didn’t have to go. You know that, don’t you?”

“I know. But you do and we’ll just have to deal with that. I’m going to miss you so much,” Marc said, pressing his lips desperately against his boyfriend’s. Dani responded immediately but slowed the kiss down so it was more appropriate for what he was trying to say.

_I’ll miss you. I love you. I hope you understand._

After a minute they simultaneously broke apart, both well aware that Dani really needed to get going so he and Alex wouldn’t miss their flights. Dani opened his mouth to explain but Marc didn’t let him. “I know. And I’ll be here waiting for you. We can Skype…”

“Every night.”

The pregnant rider nodded. “Every night. Now go. And race safely or I will kill you. And win, I know you can. Now that I’m out of the way all that’s stopping you is Lorenzo- and maybe Valentino- but you can take them. So go out there and win.” _Because I can’t._

Dani felt tears prickle in his eyes and he reclaimed his boyfriend’s lips once again. This time the kiss was cruelly slow and almost pained. “I promise I’ll try my best,” he said, looking right in the younger man’s chocolate coloured eyes. His hands made their way south over Marc’s hips until they found themselves resting on Marc’s abdomen. The slight swell of skin made shivers run down Dani’s spine. _I hope your bump has grown more by the next time I see you. I can’t wait to see you actually look pregnant._ Marc’s hands rested over his.

“If you feel you want to come to Sepang, don’t even think about it. Just go. Shuhei and Livio said that you’re welcome. I’m not trying to pressure you, okay? I know this is hard for you but don’t not come because you think no-one will want you there.”

Marc nodded and bit his lip. _I don’t think I’m going to change my mind but…_ “I promise.”

“Okay, good. I love you. You’re the most important thing in the world to me, don’t forget that.”

“You’re the most important thing in the world to me too,” he glanced at the clock on the wall and felt his chest constrict. _This is it. Why do I feel like I’m saying goodbye? It’s just a temporary goodbye. At the end of the day, Dani is still going to be mine._ “You better go,” his voice was reduced to barely a whisper.

Dani nodded and gave him one last kiss, squeezing him tightly as he did. “I’ll see you next week?”

“Yeah, you will.”

With a very heavy heart, the older rider realised his boyfriend, knowing if he didn’t do it right then he wouldn’t be able to. Dani picked up his bag from where it was lying on the floor next to him, smiling when he remembered something. “Guess what I found…” He pulled the little card out of his jeans pocket.

Marc shook his head and chuckled. “The parking ticket. It’s a bit late now…”

“I know. But I told you I would find it in a week’s time and I found it this morning. Thought you might get a bit of amusement out of it. I’ll call you before I get on the plane?”

“Yeah. Now go before you miss your plane. Or Alex has a heart attack because he thinks you’re going to miss your plane.”

Dani smiled lovingly at the younger rider and embraced him one last time before opening the front door again. “A week really isn’t that long, is it?”

Marc shook his head. “Not really.” _Yes it is._

 

Dani looked over from the driver seat and caught Alex staring at him once again. Sighing, he said “What’s wrong?”

Alex’s eyes widened and he immediately looked embarrassed. “Nothing, it’s… nothing.”

“You know you can actually have a conversation with me, right? I’m not _that_ emotionally unstable.”

A blush crept over the younger man’s face and Dani wanted to cry because it reminded him so much of Marc which wasn’t a good thing because they hadn’t even left the country yet. “Sorry, I just… are you okay?”

_That’s the question._ “Honestly? I don’t know because all I know is how I feel right now and I just don’t know if that’s going to get better or worse.”

“It must be really hard to leave him…”

“It is. And the thing is, it’s my fault- and before you say anything, I know he probably doesn’t blame me but it’s still my fault that he’s carrying my child and can’t race. And he’s being left behind and I know he we all think it’s worth it for what we’re getting in return but it still must suck.”

The youngest Marquez blinked a couple of times. He hadn’t expected Dani to open up like that. Yes, they were friends of sorts but the HRC rider seemed more of the ‘suffer in silence’ type. But Alex was definitely happy that they were talking. “I know but there’s absolutely nothing anyone can do now. Marc is a big boy, he can handle this. And yes, it sucks but he’ll be okay. Everything will be okay.”

Dani frowned and observed the Moto3 rider curiously for a moment. “How are you and Marc even related? If you didn’t look so alike and have the same talent, I would never believe it.”

Alex chuckled. “It’s simple, I was born to counteract Marc. To bring balance to the force.”

“I change my mind. You _a_ _re_ like Marc.” _And I’m so happy that I get to at least have you around._


	22. One is the loneliest number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So every time I read this one I alternate between loving and hating it... But I have positive feelings toward it at the moment so here you go! Besos!

Dani’s plane didn’t touch down in Kuala Lumpur until the very early hours of the morning so all he wanted to do when he got to his hotel was sleep and sleep some more. He sent a text to Marc when he got off his plane telling him that he had landed safely and that he loved him and missed him already (though he didn’t know if that last bit was really helping at all). Dani had seen his new team mate briefly at check in in El Prat and again when they reached the hotel in Sepang, but other than that there hadn’t been much contact at all between the two Honda riders. The team seemed to have the sense to seat them on opposite sides of the plane. It wasn’t as if he really had anything against the guy but Dani couldn’t think of him as anything but the guy who was replacing his boyfriend.

The HRC rider kept checking his phone all the way to the hotel and during check in, even when he was brushing his teeth but the reply from his boyfriend never came. Dani began to worry that something was wrong but he would have heard from Marc’s parents (or even Alex) if it was. A multitude of scenarios went through his head, ranging from Marc being angry at him for leaving to him being too upset to even reply, before he realised that he probably was in bed or something. With the time difference it was about nine o’clock in Spain and they had very much exhausted themselves the previous night…

After climbing into the comfortable hotel bed, Dani expected to fall asleep almost instantly but it didn’t really happen like that. Yes, he was worn out completely but something just wasn’t right. He was alone; for the first time in what seemed like forever, Marc wasn’t there in the bed beside him. The rider had gotten so used to being tangled up with his boyfriend in his sleep that he failed to think of what it would be like when Marc was no longer there.

It was incredibly frustrating and Dani ended up lying there for some unknown period of time, one leg inside the covers and one leg outside because he couldn’t decide if he was too hot or too cold or just right. So he just lay there in the dark until his phone silently flashed on the bedside locker. Dani instantly reached out to get it. The sudden brightness of the screen amidst the dark caused a delay in the focus of his eyes but when that settled down, he was relieved to find it was in fact from Marc.

_‘I’m glad. Sorry, I fell asleep early and just got up to go to the bathroom and saw your text. We miss you too (by ‘we’ I mean me and the baby, not my parents) (although I guess they miss you too?) Remember what I said about being careful. Love you.’_

Dani suddenly felt a lot lighter as he chuckled to himself. _God I miss you so much. You make everything better._

_‘I kinda guessed what you meant by ‘we’ but thanks for clearing it up anyway. And I promise I’ll be careful. Love you too!’_

He was just about to put down his phone when a reply came.

_‘What are you still doing up? It’s been like two hours since you sent that text. You should be asleep! It must be gone three in the morning! (imagine very disapproving tone)’_

_‘I tried! I can’t sleep without you here. Though you seem to be having no problem… (and yes, it’s 3:32)_

_‘Be quiet. I’m pregnant, I could sleep in the pit lane in the middle of qualifying!’_

Dani rolled his eyes and quickly typed a reply. He could have easily spent the whole night texting Marc. That would definitely solve his no sleep problem.

 _‘I’d never let you. Too dangerous! But you’re right, I probably should_ try _to get some sleep.’_

_“Yes, you should. You’ll be exhausted tomorrow. Once again, I love you! (and I kinda stole one of your Honda t-shirts… I’m wearing it now…don’t kill me!)’_

_I could never kill you. I’d take one look into those doe eyes and forget all about killing you._

_‘I’ll forgive you! And, once again, I love you too! Sleep well’_

_‘I should be saying that to you! (and thank you for not killing me) I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”_

_‘You will. Night xx’_

Dani put down the phone once again, amazed at how much better he felt after ‘talking’ to Marc. He didn’t feel like there was so much distance between them anymore. The bed suddenly felt a lot more comfortable and Dani drifted off to sleep within a couple of minutes of closing his eyes.

 

Breakfast the next morning was a bit of an ordeal. Despite the comfort of the conversation with Marc sending him off to sleep, it was closer to four than three when he finally nodded off and then had to be up again at nine. So he wasn’t really in the best mood when he reached the restaurant and that certainly wasn’t helped by the fact that Jorge and Alvaro graciously offered to let the newbie, Adrián, sit with them. To be fair, they didn’t know just how close Dani was to Marc and there was quite a lot of them at the table but he ended up sitting right across from his Honda team-mate and the young rider seemed to avoid eye contact at all costs.

Things went from bad to worse when Jorge, as usual, decided to take it upon himself to make a stupid comment. “I like it like this. We get a break from the demon child for a while.” He laughed when he said it but everyone who even knew the Yamaha rider in the slightest knew that he believed it.

A few giggles were heard around the table but for the most part there was silence. Dani was silent because his jaw was clenched and he was too busy trying not to just punch the Mallorcan there and then and Vale was silent because he was shocked and worried that Dani would punch him and Adrián was shocked that Jorge would talk about Marc like that and the Espargarós were silent because their suspicions were confirmed the moment they saw the look on Dani’s face. Alvaro remained pretty much oblivious.

“I miss Marc!” Vale said loudly, his face a strange mixture of a smile and absolute horror at the same time.

Pol and Aleix both emphatically nodded at that. “Yeah, I miss him too!” the older of the two announced.

Jorge held his hands up. “It’s not like I’m happy that he’s hurt, okay? That sucks, but it’s back to way it used to be now. Life before Marc Marquez was a bit better, wasn’t it Dani? You probably know better than anyone.”

Vale froze, Dani’s blood began to boil even more and Pol actually face palmed (that he _expertly_ tried to cover up by rubbing his eye) which earned him a sideways glance from the aforementioned riders. Dani didn’t know what he could say- actually, he did know what he could say but about 99.9 per cent of it couldn’t be said without completely giving the game away. So he settled for a tame yet firm, “Shut it, Lorenzo” accompanied by an almighty glare.

And the Italian took that as his cue to try and diffuse the situation as much as possible. “O- _kay_ … How about we all just agree that Marc’s injury is horrible and move on before someone _here_ gets injured…”

Dani, who was still livid at Jorge’s dissing of his boyfriend like that, wanted nothing more than to punch his fellow Spaniard. It made him feel nostalgic. But he knew that it was probably a good idea that he just get out of there before he said something that was really incriminating. He violently stabbed one last piece of apple with his fork and shoved it into his mouth before rising to his feet. “Whatever. I’m done here. See you guys later.”

The whole table watched in quiet shocked as the Honda rider, not stormed but pretty close to it, away from the table. Some were a lot more confused than others by the whole thing; mainly Alvaro who just looked between Jorge and Vale as if he couldn’t understand what had just happened. Valentino glared at the Mallorcan who was sat by his right side.

“You’re an idiot, you know that? Why couldn’t you just keep your big mouth shut?” He didn’t wait for an answer, throwing his napkin down on the table and quickly (but not too quickly) following his friend out of the restaurant.

Jorge just sat there with his mouth agape, on the receiving end of a few dirty looks (Aleix and Pol). “What the hell just happened?”

Adrián looked nervously down at the croissant on his plate. _I hope this isn’t what it’s like all the time._

 

“Dani? Wait up!” Vale called as he caught the heavy glass door onto the terrace just before it swung shut. The younger man was already by edge, leaning on the railing and looking out over the water. Even from there the Italian could see the tension in his shoulders. _I’m going to kill Jorge._ “Dani.” This time he didn’t want an answer, it was more like a realisation. Vale leaned up against the railing next to the Honda rider and remained there silently, waiting for Dani to make the first move.

There was silence for a prolonged moment before the Spaniard released a weary sigh and his body slumped slightly. “I’m sorry about storming off like that. Jorge… Jorge and I are friendlier these days but I seriously wanted to punch his lights out right then. But I couldn’t, because that would be too obvious…”

The Yamaha rider chuckled briefly. “I could tell.”

Dani tightened his grip on the rail until his knuckles turned white. “It’s a weakness, I know that. Other riders don’t have this problem. They just worry about themselves and their own racing. I can’t do that because I have Marc to worry about too. If they knew how much they could get to me by using him…”

“You honestly think they would use that against you if they knew?”

 _Yes… no…_ The Honda rider frowned and cast his gaze back to the water. “Honestly? I don’t know. But I don’t really want to find out any time soon…”

Vale nodded, a sad smile on his lips. “It must be hard for him to be at home without you. I assume it’s hard for you too?”

“It’s the worst. We spent basically every day for the past three weeks together and now I’m on the other side of the world and he’s… not.”

“I get it. But he’ll be back. He always gets back up. That’s his… motto, no?”

 _If only that was the case._ But Vale didn’t know about that so Dani just tried his best to smile. “Yeah, he’s a fighter.”

“Right! So don’t even bother getting worked up about Jorge. I doubt he would have talked about Marc like that if he knew… he’d probably still think it but he wouldn’t say it.”

 _Because that makes it so much better. But you’re trying._ “I guess. Don’t let it go to your head too much, but I’m actually glad that I have someone here, besides Alex, to talk to. Although I didn’t exactly pick you,” Dani grinned and nudged the older man playfully.

Valentino chuckled and arched an eyebrow. “I don’t think that’s necessarily true… You could talk to the Espargarós too…”

Dani drew a deep breath. _So it’s not just me. I told Marc something was going on…_ “You saw that too?”

“Yeah… They seemed a bit too in tune with what was going on…”

“How? I sensed in Aragón that they knew something but I just don’t get how…” _But they won’t say anything, will they?_

The Yamaha rider shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe you should talk to them. Don’t say too much; just get a feel for what they do or don’t know and go from there. They seemed particularly wary about what Jorge said so if they do know I guess they’re on your side.”

“Speaking of which, ‘demon child’? Is that really what Jorge calls him?” Dani wondered, very mild amusement in his voice.

Vale paused for a moment, contemplating what his answer to that one should be. _Wait, why do I care?_ “Yeah.”

“And have _you_ ever called him that?”

He contemplated that one even longer before smiling wryly at his friend. “’Demon child’? No… Other things? Yes…”

Dani rolled his eyes, shaking his head. _Of course you do. I did once or twice… But it’s just because Marc is so talented. It’s unfair really on the rest of us._ “I’m going to head back inside and see what I can get out of Aleix and Pol. Who do you think I’ll have most success with?”

Vale grinned. “Well I hear that Pol is easier but Aleix, he’s worth breaking down apparently.”

 _Innuendos. Nice. There really aren’t words to describe you, Rossi._ “I’m not going to ask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so I don't know who would actually replace our boys if something happened to either (I tried to find it on the interweb but, alas, no)... Sooo I just made up my own!


	23. Suspicions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the less said about this chapter this chapter the better. I'm not a fan but it was kind of one of those annoying things that just have to be done...

“Jorge!” Valentino called his team-mate’s name as he saw the Mallorcan making his way through the lobby.

“Where did you go to? You just kinda disappeared from breakfast.”

He ignored that. “You’re an idiot, you know this?”

Jorge frowned. _Yeah, you keep saying that but I don’t have a clue why._  “Um… why?”

_Are you actually serious right now? Why do you think, idiot?_ Vale lightly grabbed his team-mate’s sleeve, pulling him closer slightly so there was less chance of anyone overhearing anything. “You shouldn’t have said those things about Marc. Especially in front of Dani.”

The Mallorcan was even more confused. “Why, though? He seemed to be in a really bad mood… I was sure he would find my jokes funny! He knows how annoying the demon child is.”

“You need to stop calling him that! And Dani _definitely_ does not find Marc annoying. How would you like it if someone started calling Ricky the demon child?”

“But that’s different...”

Vale arched an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. “Why?

Jorge looked around suspiciously for a moment to ensure that there wasn’t anyone in hearing distance of them. “It just is. Ricky and I… it’s… just different.”

He didn’t really need to say anymore. Valentino got the message loud and clear. And he was even less surprised than he was when he found out about Dani and Marc. _God, these guys all think they’re being discreet! They have no idea…_ “So then it’s the exact same.” The older rider cringed slightly after the words left his mouth. He hadn’t put it so plainly but there was no doubt in Vale’s mind that Jorge would know what he was talking about. But it wasn’t as if the Spaniard would sing the revelation from the rooftops. He wouldn’t when he was hiding in the very same way. _I really hope Dani doesn’t kill me._

It took a few seconds but a look of shocked realisation eventually crossed the younger man’s face. _No… Surely…_ Once again he looked left and right before speaking, taking a step closer to his fellow Yamaha rider. “ _Dani and Marc?_ ”

“You know, for someone who claims to be smart, you really are an idiot. And if you even think about telling anyone this I will ruin you because I promised Dani I wouldn’t say anything but I felt it was necessary to stop you from saying anything else that might get you punched. Because you really came close today.”

“I won’t. I _wouldn’t_. I just… I didn’t think… With Casey it was completely different.”

Vale nodded. “Yeah. And there’s a reason for that. Which I have just explained. It’s serious, okay? He hasn’t exactly said anything but I’m pretty sure that they love each other so it’s definitely not a good idea to say any more offensive things about Marc Marquez.”

Jorge swallowed and nodded, now feeling more than a bit bad about the whole thing. _He’s probably upset about Marc’s injury… and I just made it worse._ “Yeah, right. Should I apologise? Or would that make it too obvious that I know?”

“Just… don’t be such an asshole next time. I think that should do the job.”

“Noted. I can’t believe I didn’t notice this before…”

The Italian chucked. “Neither can I.”

*

Marc happened to be in the cinema with his parents (they were trying all kinds of things to keep his mind off Dani) when his boyfriend rang that afternoon. The pregnant rider felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and checked the caller ID. He practically jumped up out of his seat when he saw it was Dani, quickly telling his parents in a hushed tone that he would be back in a few minutes.

He answered the phone as he hurried down the steps just so it wouldn’t ring out, giving a brief ‘one sec’ as he reached the door. A wide smile took over his face once he was in the safety of the lobby once again. “Hi. Sorry, I’m just at the movies with my parents.”

“Oh, do you want me to call back later?”

“No!” Marc answered far too quickly and blushed, making his way over to sit on a small ledge away from all the cinema’s patrons, “It wasn’t that great anyway. I’d much rather talk to you any day.”

“So would I. But I would much rather if it was in person…”

The younger rider frowned. _So would I but not in the way you want._ The truth was, since Dani had left he had searched flights to Kuala Lumpur several times a day and every time he just couldn’t bring himself to book. Marc wanted to be there with his boyfriend more than anything but it just seemed to soon… He couldn’t face the MotoGP circus yet. “Yeah I know. But I just can’t do it… not now, okay? I’m sorry, I know I’m being selfish but-“

“It’s okay, Marc. I understand, don’t worry. You know I didn’t mean it like that. So how are things in Spain?”

Marc groaned and threw his head back. “Boring. You’ve only been gone two days and I’m already losing my mind. What about Sepang? Please tell me things are more interesting there. Any fights? Tantrums? Is Alex behaving himself?”

He could hear Dani chuckled on the other end of the line and it instantly brightened his mood. “I guess you could say that… things got very interesting with Jorge this morning. And, yes, Alex is behaving himself. Like Always.”

_That sounds ominous…_ “Interesting? In what way?”

There was a brief moment of silence. “Breakfast was kinda tense, I guess you could say. Jorge said something about you that I didn’t like and Vale tried to diffuse the situation so I didn’t hit him and the Espargarós seemed weirdly in tune…”

It took a minute for him to compute everything his boyfriend said. _Jorge, Valentino, Espargarós._ Marc arched an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? What did he say?” _Whatever it is I’m sure I’ve heard a lot worse before._

There was another brief silence. “He called you ‘the demon child’…”

Marc paused for a moment before he started to laugh uncontrollably. It got pretty loud and he had to remind himself that there were people trying to watch movies. “ _Demon child?_ That’s brilliant! I kinda like that.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. Marc Marquez is the _demon child_. He really needs to come up with some better insults. Maybe the next time I race I should get that put on my helmet or something?”

“I’m sure your mother would love that. I can’t believe you’re not offended. Because it would have been pretty awkward if I _had_ punched him then…”

Marc chuckled once again. “Yeah, that probably would have been awkward. And no, I’m not offended. Now tell me about Vale and the Espargarós.”

“Well Vale just tried to get Jorge to shut up but the Espargarós… remember in Aragón when we were having breakfast and they were watching us?”

“Yeah?”

“I really think I was right. They know something. I don’t know how but… They just seemed way too shocked by what Jorge said to not know anything…”

_So the pool of people who know about us is getting bigger. Great._ “Maybe you should discreetly try to find out what they know?”

Dani sighed. “Yeah, that’s what I plan to do. Just don’t worry about it, okay? I’ll sort it out. Now, how are you feeling?”

Marc smiled to himself, resisting the urge to start rubbing his stomach. Despite the ups and downs of the past couple of days, he could still say one hundred per cent that he loved being pregnant with Dani’s baby. The thought that he had a part of his boyfriend with him the whole time was very comforting. “Good. It’s not so bad anymore.”

“That’s good. Can you see the bump yet? Sorry, I know you can’t really talk right now…”

“It’s okay. And, no, I don’t think so. Not much has changed since yesterday…” the pregnant rider chuckled.

“I bet I’ll be able to see the difference when I get back.”

“Yeah, maybe if you get a magnifying glass...”

Dani’s laughter filled his ear. “We’ll see. I can’t wait for you to get bigger. I want to be able to actually see that you’re pregnant.”

_What is wrong with you? Why would you want that?_ “Ugh, is knowing not enough? ‘Cause I’m really going to be attractive then… when I’m all swollen and icky…”

“You’re not going to be ‘swollen and icky’. You’re pregnant, there’s a big difference. I’m still going to find you attractive no matter what. Is that what you’re worried about?”

Marc bit his lip and fidgeted with his one ‘good’ hand. “…yes?”

“Marc! You don’t need to worry about _that_ , honestly. I’m never not going to feel attracted to you. It’s not going to be a problem.”

_I should believe you but… and now is not the time to get into this._ “I feel the same about you.”

They continued to talk for quite a while, although Marc was very limited on what he could say for fear of someone overhearing. It was still nice as ever just to hear Dani’s voice. It made him forget for just a little while that they were thousands of miles apart. They talked for so long that eventually people began exiting the screen that he had previously been in. _Screw the movie. Dani is more important._

Eventually, Marc spotted his parents who were looking around for him and he felt very guilty when he saw the concerned expressions on their faces. He began waving and after a moment Julia spotted him and nudged his wife.

“Oh. My parents are finished with the movie. We’re going home now,” he said, climbing to his feet once again.

“Sorry, I made you miss the movie…”

“Don’t be. I know what I’d rather do anyway…” His father mouthed ‘tell him we say hi’ at him and Marc nodded. “My parents say ‘hi’.”

Dani chuckled. “Tell them I say hi too.”

“He says hi too.”

“So, I’ll text you later on?”

Marc smiled to himself. “Yes but don’t stay up all night like you did last night. I don’t want to have to fly there to visit you in hospital.”

“I won’t. I love you.”

“I love you, too. And I miss you. Come home soon?”

“As quick as I can.”

 

*

“Ah, just the two I was looking for,” Dani smiled politely as Aleix opened the door to his room and he saw that Pol was lying on the bed.

The eldest Espargaró suddenly looked like he had seen a ghost. “Oh… Hi, Dani. What can we do for you?”

“I just want to have a bit of a chat. Can I come in?”

“Um… yeah, sure,” Aleix plastered a smile on his face and opened the door open fully for his fellow Catalan to enter and closed it when the Honda rider was safely inside.

“Hey, Pol.”

The Moto2 rider gave him a big wave and a smile, turning down the football match that was playing way too loudly on the tv. “Hey, Dani. Do you want a beer? Monster? Are you allowed to drink that?”

Dani chuckled and sat down on the couch, “Monster. And yes, as long as no-one tells Red Bull about it!”

The Aspar rider chuckled too but it didn’t seem as natural as it usually did and handed his colleague a can of the energy drink. “What’s up?” Aleix wondered, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Pol.

_Safety in numbers…_ “I just wanted to apologise about the little… incident at breakfast. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Pol waved it off. “Oh! Don’t worry, it’s okay. I so would have kicked Lorenzo’s ass if I were you-“ Aleix groaned and elbowed his brother in the ribs causing him to give a little yelp.

Dani’s eyes immediately narrowed. _Busted._ _You do know something. But how?_ “Okay, let’s cut the bullshit. Tell me what you know- or what you _think_ you know.”

The younger Espargaró opened his mouth to say something but was quickly stopped by his brother. “We don’t know anything.”

The Honda rider stared them down for a moment. “You know, you two are the worst liars I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Now spill. I’m not going to bite.”

“Okay!” Aleix raised his hands in surrender. “We don’t _know_ anything. We just have… suspicions…”

“Suspicions?”

“Yeah! Suspicions.”

Dani arched an eyebrow and took a sip of his drink. “And these _suspicions_ are?”

Pol couldn’t take the pressure any more. “We think that you and Marc are more than just team-mates and friends! Please don’t hurt us!” Aleix face-palmed, not even bothering to give his brother a disapproving look this time. It wouldn’t do any good anyway.

Another sip. “That’s what I thought. And you came up with this theory by yourselves?” Two nods. “No-one else knows?” Another negative answer. “Good, that’s all I wanted to know,” rising to his feet, Dani smirked at the two younger riders, “Thanks for the drink.”

Aleix shot to his feet as well. “Wait! That’s it? You’re not even going to confirm or deny? Or try to silence us?”

The HRC rider paused for a moment, contemplating his answer with a degree of amusement. “No. I’m not confirming,” he informed them and made his way over to the door. “But I’m not denying either, if you get what I’m saying.”

They got it- they got it loud and clear.

*

 

@lorenzo99: @marcmarquez93 Wishing you a speedy recovery #dontletitkeepyoudown

@marcmarquez93: @lorenzo99 Thanks Jorge! #dontworry #Iwont #demonchild #comingforyou

@26_DaniPedrosa, @ValeYellow46 and two others retweeted this.

_He knows…_


	24. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't know if I would actually be able to follow schedule today but thankfully things went my way. And I just got some really good news so I wanted to channel my excitement into this. Enjoy, my lovelies!

Dani won the race. Just like Marc knew that he would. He ended up watching it at home, curled up on the couch next to his mother in the Honda t-shirt that he had stolen from his boyfriend. They watched Alex come second in his race first and Marc felt unbelievably proud of his brother. He couldn’t believe how much different it felt to be watching it from the safety of his own home. Without the adrenaline from his own approaching race, every little overtake or wobble of bike had him hiding beneath a blanket.

Roser just shot her son a look that said ‘now you know how I feel’ and affectionately ruffled his hair.

When the top flight race came along, Marc felt like throwing up and this time the baby wasn’t to blame. It was a strange feeling, sitting there in his own house practically screaming at on screen Dani to watch out for Vale or anyone coming around or just to be careful in general. It was a miracle that he actually had a voice left by the time his boyfriend triumphantly took the checkered flag.

The pregnant rider almost broke down and cried when Dani blew a kiss to the camera on the podium.  He whipped out his phone and quickly typed a message.

‘I love you too! I’m so proud of you! Congratulations babe!’

And while he was sat there watching the unwavering smile on Dani’s face, Marc felt completely happy for the first time since his boyfriend had left for Sepang.

_Watching you winning is enough._

*

Marc jumped up from the bed the minute he heard the knock on the hotel room door. It was about time too; if he had to wait any longer he probably would have exploded. He felt like a dog, ears pricking up at every little sound that could be taken as a knock of any form. But that was _definitely_ a knock and he was suddenly a ball of excitement once again.

Pulling the door open with more force than he thought possible, Marc jumped into Dani’s arms before his eyes even focused on the older man. “Dani!” he squealed, hauling his boyfriend inside the door in case anyone passing by saw. Suddenly something occurred to him and he froze slightly. _I really hope this is Dani… What am I talking about? I know Dani and_ this _is Dani._ His worries were rubbished when Dani’s cute laughter filled the air.

The older rider pulled his boyfriend’s lips to his in a desperate kiss. It was rough and full of passion and Dani felt himself go instantly hard. They shouldn’t ever be away from each other for that long. _This is what being away from you does to me._ “I missed you so much. You have no idea…”

Marc reclaimed the older man’s lips once again and they continued to kiss for a minute before he bit down on his bottom lip. “I think I do… I’ve been going absolutely crazy without you! Especially when my dad left and it was just me and my mom…”

Dani chuckled and tenderly brushed his thumb over his boyfriend’s cheek. “I can only imagine how that went. Actually, I feel kinda bad that she’s doing my washing…”

“Don’t. I’ve only got you to myself for a day and a bit before you head off to Australia; we need to make the most of this time. Hence the reason we are booked into a hotel…”

“And now I feel even weirder about your mom doing my washing while I’m holed up in a hotel room with her son…”

Marc shook his head in disbelief and poked Dani in the chest. “Can we not talk about my mom right now? It’s kinda killing the mood you know!”

_Yeah, it is kinda weird._ He held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, no talk about parents.”

“Right. The only parents we’re allowed to talk about are us.”

“Hmm, I can go for that. And how is the little one?” Dani grinned and placed his hands over Marc’s abdomen. It wasn’t until Marc placed his hands over Dani’s that the older man’s eyes widened in surprise. _Well that wasn’t there before._

Noticing the shocked expression on his face, the pregnant rider frowned. “What? What’s wrong?”

Dani shook his head, a disbelieving smile slowly creeping over his face. “Nothing! Nothing is wrong, just… different.”

“Different?”

He nodded again and lifted up the hem of Marc’s shirt, proudly displaying his stomach. _You don’t need a magnifying glass…_ While Marc’s stomach had been pretty much still flat before he left for Sepang, there was now a little bulge protruding from in between his hips. It was still small, but definitely a lot more pronounced than it had been. “I was right.”

Marc gazed down at his stomach with a frown. “What? Oh! Yeah, I guess you were. I noticed that yesterday. My mom says after three months the baby moves out from my pelvis so I’m probably going to start showing now.”

The older rider had never felt as much love in his life as he did standing there with both their hands on Marc’s little baby bump. It was perfect. Everything was perfect. “I love it- I love both of you.”

“We love you too. And I quite like having a bump. I like rubbing it a lot. No matter where you are, it reminds me of you.”

Dani placed his lips softly against his boyfriends, kissing him softly for a moment before Marc bit down on his lip once again, his way of seeking entrance to Dani’s mouth. He complied and they kissed- they _really_ kissed; like they were declaring their love, like they hadn’t seen each other in nearly a week, like they were about to make love…

And that was exactly what they did. Marc practically dragged Dani over to the bed, moving one pillow to reveal a very generous bottle of lube and a couple of condoms. _Here’s one I prepared earlier…_ Dani took the hint and quickly got to undressing himself. Marc really took initiative, however, and was completely stripped by the time Dani had his jeans off. He gave the younger man a questioning but playful look and Marc blushed.

“It was a long six days, okay?”

Once again, Dani held up his hands in surrender. “You don’t need to tell me.”

“Good. Then you know what to do…”

_Oh, I know what to do…_

 

“I think we’re going to have a boy.” Marc announced out of the blue while they were lying cuddled up on the bed, Dani’s hands draped protectively over Marc’s stomach.

Dani frowned. “How do you know?”

“I don’t know, I just have a feeling. A _really_ strong feeling. Every time I picture it, I always see it as a boy.”

_You sound pretty certain…_ Dani began tracing small circles on the exposed skin of his boyfriend’s abdomen. “When can you find out for sure?” _Because if you’re convinced it’s a boy you could very well be mistaken._

Marc pursed his lips for a moment, trying to remember exactly what his mother had told him. Pregnancies, he had learned, have lots of milestones. It seemed like something important was happening every other week. “The twenty week scan I think. It’s not like we need to find out thought, right? I know it’s going to be a boy.”

The older rider internally groaned and propped himself up on his elbow. Stubborn Marc was coming out once again. _Stubborn Marc is one thing, stubborn_ pregnant _Marc is something completely different._ “What’s the harm in having your suspicions confirmed then? Just to be sure…”

Marc sat up suddenly, glaring at his boyfriend with his hands over his little bump. “Are you _implying_ that I don’t know my own baby?”

“No! It’s just-"

“It’s growing inside of _me_ , Dani. We have a special bond and that bond is telling me that it’s a boy.”

Dani’s jaw dropped. _O-kay… that escalated very quickly…_ Suddenly the memories of the first couple of weeks of Marc’s pregnancy came back to him. When his boyfriend was moody and stubborn and passive aggressive… And it sucked. But now he had experience; now Dani knew when to back off for the sake of peace and this was definitely one of those times. He had almost forgotten what it was like. So he pulled Marc into his arms once again and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “If you know that it’s going to be a boy, then it’s going to be a boy. I believe you.”

Upon hearing those words, the pregnant rider relaxed and his mood became more or less peaceful once again. He hummed contently to himself and Dani couldn’t believe that he good go from one extreme to the other and back so quickly. It was more than a bit terrifying, especially the prospect of it happening later on in the pregnancy when Marc was tired and uncomfortable and generally irritable…

“Do you think he’s going to be a rider? I mean, he’s got the two of us for parents… Imagine our talent combined. Separately, we’re really good but if he gets the best of both of us then he will be unstoppable.”

Dani thought about that for a moment. The baby would be doing well if he had Dani’s talent. He would be doing really well if he had Marc’s talent. But if he had _both_ of their talent… _Not someone I would like to be competing against._ “He would be a champion.”

Marc scoffed. “A champion? More like ten time world champion. He’s definitely going to beat Valentino’s record. If he wants to race, that is. If he doesn’t, that’s fine too. We’ll still love him no matter what.”

The older rider couldn’t help but grin widely. _There’s something you’re forgetting…_ “Yes we will but I don’t think it’s Valentino’s record he’ll have to worry about…”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is I think _that_ record will be broken by the time he gets to ride. He’ll have to focus his energy on beating his _father’s_ record. Because Valentino is _really_ good but _you_ are amazingly good.”

Marc smiled and kissed his boyfriend but it was tinged with sadness. He was suddenly hit with a dull ache in his stomach. “I was that good… Who knows what I’m going to be like now? I’ll still be good but will I be as good as I was?”

_How can you even think that? Talent like yours doesn’t just go away. You’ll be back, even if we have to train together for twelve hours a day, I’m going to get you back up on that podium._ “Hey, don’t even think like that, okay? There is absolutely no point. You’re going to have the baby and you’re going to take the couple of weeks or whatever that it takes to recover properly and then you’re going to be right next to me again on the front row of the grid. And then you’re going to kick my ass once again and I’m going to be annoyed but more happy than anything that you’re back to yourself once again.”

Marc was obviously incredibly touched by his boyfriend’s words but there was still something that was getting to him. “Thank you but what about the baby? Sure, lots of other riders have had children but they’ve had children with _wives_ or girlfriends that can take care of those babies while their men are racing. It’s different for us.”

“Yes, it is but we can do it. If anyone can do it, it’s us. I’m sure your parents will be happy to help out or Alex or even my parents- I really need to tell them we’re having a baby first- but the point it is, we can sort it out. Just think of how impressive all those broken records will look when you break them and take care of a baby at the same time.”

_I honestly don’t know what I would do without your positivity. I’d never be anything without you._ Marc took Dani’s hands and looked him right in the eye. “That’s exactly what I needed to hear. I need you, Dani. I have these moments when I all I feel like doing is giving up. You can’t let me do that, okay? No matter what, you have to keep pushing me- no matter how hopeless I get. I need you to remind me what I’ll be coming back to.”

“I can do that. I _will_ do that. You don’t have to worry, okay? It’s not going to be easy but everything will fall into place. And then we’ll really have it all. But no more talk about the future, okay? At the moment it’s all about right now. We’ve got sixteen hours left together before I-“

Marc pressed his finger against Dani’s lips, silencing him effectively. “No talk about the future. Only right now, right?”

The older man nodded, suddenly hit with a frightening thought. _I love you too much… if I ever lost you it would be the end of me._ Dani squeezed his boyfriend tightly, pressing the most tender of kisses on his forehead. _Don’t ever leave me, okay? You can’t leave me._ “Right now.”

 

“So when are you going to tell your parents about us?” Marc didn’t broach the subject until they were brushing their teeth together in the bathroom the next morning (they had been far too busy).

Dani’s eyes widened and he gave a few last strokes before spitting into the sink, rinsing quickly. “I was thinking next week… after I get back from Australia.” _It’s not exactly something I’m looking forward to but it has to be done._ He had to fight the urge to laugh at the thought of him putting off telling his parents about their relationship and pregnancy until Marc was already eight months pregnant. _Surprise! You’re going to be grandparents in less than four weeks!_

The younger man nods slowly, leaning back against the counter.

_You’re biting your lip… what are you thinking about?_ Dani smiled softly, taking him by the hand and leading him back into the bedroom. “Talk to me. What’s going through your mind?” he asked as Marc sat down on the unmade bed and Dani followed suit. “We’re not afraid to tell each other what we’re thinking, remember?”

“I remember. I just… Do you want me to be there when you tell them?”

_Ah, so that’s what this is about._ “I always want you there. But that’s not what this is about… What this is about is you. Do _you_ want to be there?”

“Well, yeah! But not if you think it’s going to create even more tension. If there’s even going to be tension… You’ve never really say much about your parents…”

That simple statement shocked Dani. _You’re right. This whole thing is so new that I never really got the chance to._ “I guess I haven’t. You don’t have to worry, they already know that I like men too. They’re probably just going to be shocked that it’s _you_ ,” Dani said with a smile and playfully nudged his boyfriend, “And they’re going to be even more shocked when they find out that we’re expecting... but they’ll get over it. I don’t know if they’ll be as enthusiastic as your parents but we’re not going to be shunned either.”

Once again Marc nodded, taking in everything that the older rider had just said. “Okay. In that case, I definitely want to be there. They might as well meet me so it will be more real. I won’t be just Marc Marquez, your team-mate, in their eyes anymore. I’ll be Marc, you boyfriend who is also carrying their first grandchild.”

Dani couldn’t help but smile. _‘Their_ first _grandchild’_ He didn’t dare bring that little detail up at that moment, however. That was a conversation for another day… a little bit down the line. “That’s very insightful.”

“Be quiet. So I’m going?”

“Yes, you are definitely going. We’ll have to work out the logistics of it but you’ll be there by my side no matter what.”

Marc grinned and leaned in to place a chaste kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. “No matter what.” _And the logistics might not be so hard to sort out…_


	25. By the way, I tried to say I'd be there

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really long! Haha But that's not really a bad thing, is it? :P I kinda really enjoyed writing this one so I hope that you like!

Marc went to the airport with Dani. They were going to meet Alex there and he would give Dani his freshly washed clothes courtesy of Roser and Marc his keys to drive the car back to Cervera. He loved that he actually had an excuse to accompany his boyfriend to El Prat, wanting to spend as much time as humanly possible with him before Dani jetted off to a far corner of the earth. It wasn’t as bad this time but Marc was the only one aware of that.

“What do you think would happen if I just walked in there holding your hand?” Marc asked, a playful glint in his eye as they made their way into the departures hall of the terminal.

Dani chuckled and bumped ‘accidentally’ against his boyfriend’s arm. “They’d probably think that you got lost and I was returning you to your parents.”

The younger man gasped, feigning horror. “How dare you! Are you really going to play the age card? Maybe they would think that _you_ lost your Zimmer-frame and I was just doing my good deed for the day?”

“Yeah, well I didn’t need it last night, did I?”

“And you also didn’t care that you were fucking a-“

“O-kay! Yeah, if you actually want me to get on that flight you better stop talking now. Before I’m arrested for public indecency.”

Marc chuckled to himself, absolutely loving the scarlet blush on the older man’s cheeks. Making Dani blush was one of his favourite things to do. “Sounds tempting.”

“Be quiet. Your brother’s right over there.”

Alex greeted them both with a smile and a hug (Marc was seriously impressed by the budding relationship between Dani and his brother). “Hey you, how are you feeling?”

“Good, things are definitely getting better.”

“And what about you, Dani? Are you ready to kick him to the kerb yet- Ouch!”

Dani chuckled as Marc hit his brother with his ‘good’ arm. “I guess I have to worry about you two conspiring against me now as well! And I’m having his baby, I’m pretty sure ‘kicking’ me ‘to the kerb’ is frowned upon.”

“Well you don’t have to worry,” the older rider informed his boyfriend, brushing Marc’s hand briefly, “because that is not going to happen.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Glad to see you two are just as sickeningly sweet as ever. I’m actually relieved that you weren’t at home last night…”

_I bet you are._ “Wow, Alex, you’re so sweet! It’s not like this is practically the first time we’ve seen each other in nearly a week or anything…”

“Glad you’re dramatic as ever. You know what I meant. I love the both of you but I didn’t fancy having to get earplugs to actually sleep.”

“It’s not as if we’d be up fucking all night!”

Alex stared at his brother with incredulity as Dani coughed awkwardly, looking around briefly to make sure there was no-one close enough to hear that. “Really? And what did you get up to last night?”

“… Shut up. God, you two better get on that plane before _he_ ,” Marc pointed emphatically at his brother, “finds another way to insult me. Bye, I love you, text me before you board, call me when you land.”

Dani wanted to say that Marc would most likely be in a very deep sleep when he landed but decided not to mention it in case he took it as a challenge. “I love you, too and I will.”

The pregnant rider had to try really hard to resist the urge to lean in and kiss the older man but managed to turn to look at his brother, pointing once again at the tallest of the three. “And _you_ , behave and be careful and also text me, okay? And give me your keys.”

“Yes, mom,” Alex said with an evil grin and placed the car keys in his brother’s open palm.

Marc just ignored that. “So I better love you and leave you. Tell everyone I said hi. Especially Jorge. Oh, and make sure you mention the words ‘demon child’. I love seeing him sweat over that.” He gave them one last hug (the one with Dani an almost awkward side hug) before emphatically waving goodbye with his uninhibited hand.

Once he was gone, Alex handed over the small bag full of washing and Dani thanked him and placed it in his carry on. “He’s certainly in a better mood than the last time I saw him.”

“Yeah. I guess he probably feels like if he survived the first week, he can survive the next three.”

“It’s good to see him smile like that again.”

_I completely agree._

*

“Marc.”

Marc woke with a start at the sound of someone saying his name loudly. “W-what?”

Julia smiled apologetically at his son. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Lamb or salmon?”

_What…? What are you talking about? I’m so confused._ “What are you talking about?”

His father chuckled at his still sleepy state. “They’re going to be serving the food soon. The air hostess wanted to know if you wanted lamb or salmon.”

Marc’s eyes widened for a moment before he actually remembered where he was. An airplane. With his father. _How long have I been asleep? We just took off like ten minutes ago…_ “Uhm… Lamb, I guess. I’m not really supposed to eat fish unless I know the mercury content…”

Julia nodded. “Okay, I’ll tell her. You can go back to sleep if you want. I’ll wake you when the food is served?”

Giving a little stretch and a yawn, the pregnant rider shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I might sleep after eating. Have you slept?”

“A little but I’ve been watching movies most of the time.”

_Movies? Most of the time?_ “How long have we been flying?”

Julia pursed his lips and looked at his watch. “About… four hours.”

_Great. Four out of fourteen hours left._ “Right. I don’t even know what day it is.”

“It’s Friday,” Julia informed his son with a chuckle. He didn’t really blame Marc for being confused. They had left Barcelona on Thursday afternoon and they had already stopped in Abu Dhabi. He was definitely glad they had gotten a flight that only stopped once or it probably would have taken them three days to get to Australia. “I’m just going to go tell the hostess that you want lamb…”

“It’s okay, I got it. I’m going to go to the bathroom anyway and try to stretch my legs.” Marc unbuckled his seat belt (that showed how quickly he fell asleep) and began making his way down the wide aisle of first class. One of the hostesses greeted him with a smile and an ‘ah, you’re awake’ before taking his order and asking if there was anything else she could get for him. He replied negatively, not failing to notice the way that she was looking at him before making his way to the bathroom.

The food was served just a couple of minutes after he returned to his seat and it was as amazing as ever. Well, he was starving so anything would have tasted good but this definitely exceeded expectations. Marc chatted to his father as they ate, now finding himself with a lot more energy.

“So does Dani still not know that you’re coming?”

“Nope,” the young rider replied, swallowing a mouthful of potato, “It’s a surprise. And it better stay that way because I had to strategically plan when I would call him so that he wouldn’t try to call me when I was on the plane and get really worried.”

Julia chuckled although he thought that what his son was trying to do was actually very sweet. Dani would undoubtedly be _very_ surprised if he could actually pull it off. “Well, who knows about it?”

“Emilio, Santi, Livio and Shuhei, I think. And they all know that it’s meant to be a surprise so as long as word doesn’t get out that I’m on my way, I should be fine.” Marc could hardly contain his excitement. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Dani’s face when he showed up at the garage the next day.

*

After a very long two days of travelling across god knows how many continents, their plane touched down at Tullamarine. It was twenty past ten at night but the heat that hit them when he left the airport almost smothered him after being stuck on a plane for practically all of the past two days. Marc and Julia left the airport in the car that they had to rent to actually get to Phillip Island which was over 50 miles away. Before they left, Julia grabbed a cup of coffee from one of the newsstands. He was very happy that he had gotten a good sleep on the plane because they had nearly an hour and a half of a journey left before they actually reached the hotel.

They made good time since there weren’t a lot of cars on the road at eleven o’clock at night and reached their destination just after twelve. But the time they got their bags into the lobby, Marc felt like he was going to collapse with the fatigue. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep properly. His eyes were wild and dark with over tiredness but also felt something along the lines of nervous excitement at the thought that Dani was somewhere in that very hotel right now.

Julia got them checked in quickly (he decided that separate rooms was probably a better idea after much consideration) and Marc was just so relieved when he finally got to drop his bag on the floor and just remove everything bar his underwear and climb into bed. His head had barely hit the pillow before he fell into a deep and much needed sleep.

Thankfully, Marc had had the foresight to set an alarm for ten the next morning as he was fast asleep until the moment it started chiming next to the bed. At first he squeezed his eyes shut tighter, just wanting the noise to go away, and groaned; but that was before he realised that it was ten and he would finally get to surprise Dani. So Marc hopped out of bed and silencing his phone before doing a little excited dance. _Dani Pedrosa, you are about to get the best surprise of your life._

He busied himself getting ready, showering first since he had been travelling for two days, before getting dressed. Marc pulled on a dark pair of jeans (that he had just bought in a bigger size) and a red sweater that was quite fitted but not enough to cling to his now bigger stomach. While he was fixing his hair in the bathroom, there was a knock on the door and he had to quickly wipe his hands on a nearby towel to get rid of the sticky gel. He rushed to the door, pulling it open before even checking who it was. But it was only his father, who greeted him with a broad smile and a very enthusiastic ‘good morning’.

“It’s ten o’clock, aren’t you supposed to be down at Alex’s garage?” Marc wondered as he shut the door behind his father.

“I’m heading down there in a minute. I just brought you something to eat since you missed breakfast because of your need to sleep like twelve hours a day,” Julia said playfully, setting a carrier bag down on the table.

_You brought me food! Good, I’m starving._ “Hey! I’m creating a new life. That’s tiring!”

“Yes and you’re doing a fantastic job, now come on and eat before you miss your chance to surprise Dani.”

Marc playfully stuck his tongue out, earning a nudge and a chuckle from his father, before grabbing a croissant and a fruit cup from the bag. His face lit up when he saw what his father had got him to drink. “Chocolate milk!”

“I didn’t know what else to get you… and I know you love chocolate milk.”

“I do!” the pregnant rider beamed, shaking the bottle frantically before unscrewing the lid. He took a sip and groaned slightly. “That is really good chocolate milk.”

Julia gave his son a half hug. “Glad you like it. I better get going down to Alex or he’ll think I’m abandoning him. I’ll see you later on and you can tell me all about your reunion,” he said as he made his way towards the door once again.

“Will do.”

“Oh and Marc? Please don’t forget your sling. Not unless you want questions asked.”

_Got it._

 

 Once he was done eating and was satisfied that he looked presentable, Marc headed down to the track. He got a few funny looks along the way from people who obviously weren’t expecting to see Marc Marquez there but, ironically, once he actually got to the circuit he managed to pretty much get to the Honda garage unnoticed. Everyone about the place was so busy that he could more or less slip past without anyone noticing. Marc was relieved to see on one of the numerous screens that both Dani and the other rider were already out on track, giving him the chance to get in and say hello to everyone before his boyfriend saw him. And that’s exactly what he did.

Santi was the first to lay eyes on him. “Marc!” his race engineer greeted him with a massive smile and a very tight hug.

Marc chuckled, loving the familiarity of the whole thing and hugged his friend back. “Santi!” He had expected the Repsol garage to make him feel uncomfortable, like he wasn’t part of it anymore, but it was actually the complete opposite. Everyone was quick to say hello to him and tell him how much they’d missed him (and his annoying laugh).

He had a nice chat with his crew, Santi and Emilio and Shuhei and Livio, who spoke to him briefly and away from prying eyes as they actually still had a team to run, and it was really nice. Marc loved being back again even if he still couldn’t get back on the bike. Just being in his element once again was enough.

He exchanged a brief few words with Alberto who seemed a little bit annoyed that he was not informed of his rider’s boyfriend’s plans to visit. “Dani never told me.”

“That’s because Dani doesn’t know. It’s a surprise.”

They didn’t say much more to each other. Dani had never really come out and said that Alberto had a problem with him but that was definitely the impression that Marc got when his boyfriend talked about his manager. The way he tried his best to avoid the subject, the way his expression and voice were guarded when he did… If he didn’t know before, the look on Santi and Emilio’s (and even Livio’s) face when they saw the rider and the manager interacting was enough. Marc got the feeling that he had been the topic of quite a few closed door conversations at Repsol Honda.

Adrián, the new guy, was the first one back in. His crew disappeared into what was previously Marc’s side of the garage while the pregnant rider waited in Dani’s, knowing it wouldn’t be long before the older rider arrived back. He could hardly control his excitement. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to start bouncing up and down on the spot.

Eventually, he heard the tell-tale sound of the bike nearing closer before it stopped outside the garage. Everyone who was in the know about what was going on seemed to grow quiet and turn their attention to Marc, interested to see how this was all going to go down. Dani’s race engineer met him outside, taking his rider’s helmet before they made their way inside.

Marc just stood there waiting with a massive smile on his face and his heart beating a hundred miles an hour as he watched Dani get closer but not look away from his engineer yet. After a few seconds, Mike exchanged a look with Marc and gave a brief nod before whispering something in his rider’s ear.

Dani looked confused for a moment before he turned his head slightly and caught sight of his boyfriend standing there in the middle of the garage, grinning like an idiot. His jaw dropped for a moment. _No… you can’t be here… you just… can’t._ The biggest smile ever took over the older rider’s face as his heart threated to explode in his chest. _You’re here!_ Not caring who saw, he quickly made his way over to Marc throwing his arms around him. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Marc chuckled and squeezed him back. “Surprise!”

“You’re an asshole, do you know that? God, you nearly gave me a heart attack!”

_God, I missed you so much._ “You mean you’re not happy to see me?” Marc asked playfully, giving him the puppy dog eyes and protruding his bottom lip.

Dani rolled his eyes, having to try his absolute hardest not to kiss him there and then. “Of course I am, you idiot!”

The sound of someone clearing their voice caused them both to quickly pull away from each other. Dani glowered when he saw that it was Alberto. “You still actually have practice to complete, Dani. I’m sure Marc will still be there when you’re done and you can have a nice little catch up.”

Those in the know around them suddenly went quiet. A very angry Dani moved to take a step forward and tell his manager what was really on his mind but Marc placed his hand gently on his boyfriend’s arm, making him stop. “Don’t. He’s right. I’ll still be here.”

Grudgingly, the older rider nodded at Marc and shot his manager a glare before rejoining his team. _We are going to have a serious conversation later. Like I said before, if you have a problem with Marc, you have a problem with me._


	26. Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are no words to describe how proud I am of Dani right now! :D I can't stop smiling! And, weirdly, this is chapter 26 :P It's fate! Hope you enjoy!

Marc returned to his side of the garage once Dani went back out to finish the session. There was no point staying on his boyfriend’s side with Alberto and a team that he didn’t know very well. Plus, word had spread that he was visiting by now and there had been quite a few camera crews around (which he greeted with his trademark smile and a wave with his good hand). As far as anyone knew, there was no logical explanation for him being in Dani’s side.

So he sat with Santi and Emilio watching his boyfriend out on the track. It was even more nerve wracking that watching it back in Cervera because his mother worried over nothing but when the crew in one of the team garages worried, there was usually something behind it. There were a few close calls but thankfully no crashes. Although it was abundantly clear that Dani was pushing harder than ever. Whether that was to do with the fact that Marc was there or Alberto’s attitude, however, he had no idea.

“You okay?” Emilio asked him when there was only a few minutes left in the session.

Marc nodded and forced a smile, though he wasn’t exactly sure it would convince someone who knew him so long and so well. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

His manager observed him for a moment, a curious smile on his face. “You know one thing I learned in my many years?”

“What’s that?”

Emilio chuckled and nudged the younger man. “Never trust a pregnant person when they say that they’re ‘fine’ because they _definitely_ are not _fine_. And you’re not fine. You were so happy a while ago, what’s changed? Is it Alberto?” he wondered in a hushed tone.

_I’m starting to think I’m pretty transparent._ The pregnant rider paused for a moment before sighing. “Yeah. I don’t know why it bothers me so much. I mean, I don’t feel like I need his approval or anything… I just don’t like making things hard on Dani.”

“You just have understand how Puig sees this. He doesn’t really like you, that’s a fact. But it’s because he’s all about _his_ riders like we all are. Up until now, you were the competition; just like Vale or Jorge but even worse because you’re on the opposite side of the garage. You know the whole ‘your main objective is to beat your team-mate thing’. But anyway, things have changed; because you’re no longer the just the competition. You and Dani now come as a package deal. And now you’re having this baby which makes everything a whole lot more complicated. The whole thing makes his life a lot harder.”

Marc could appreciate that, he really could, but he didn’t want it to affect Dani’s relationship with his manager which was incredibly important. He didn’t want his boyfriend to become defiant for Marc’s sake. “But you’re different. Why don’t you see it the same way as him? You’re both in the same position.”

Emilio smiled softly. “Yes, we are. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t suddenly become Dani Pedrosa’s biggest fan. I’m not exactly ecstatic about this relationship- and before you say anything, it’s not because he’s a man. I couldn’t care less whether it was a man or woman or a fucking alien. It certainly isn’t the ideal situation; two team-mates being together- having a family together- but I accept that you love him and that he loves you too.

“If what you two had going on was just casual I certainly wouldn’t be too enthused. But it isn’t, so we just adjust. With Alberto… it seems that he’s not so willing to adjust. He’s just got a different attitude towards his riders. But don’t let it get you down, okay? I’m sure that Dani will have a word and remind him that he’s paying him and Alberto will lay off a bit. Now, stop being sad. Because Dani just went fastest with one minute left to go…”

Marc turned his attention back to the screen and, surely enough, the name Pedrosa was now at the top of the time sheet in red. He felt a swell of pride as he watched his boyfriend begin his final lap. “He’s going to win the championship, isn’t he?”

“If everything goes according to plan? Yes.” _But things don’t always go according to plan…_

Marc stayed towards the back of the garage minding his own business when Dani first came back. He talked to a few reporters and had to brief his team so the pregnant rider decided that it was best to wait for Dani to come to him. While he was waiting, he caught the gaze of Adrián who was watching him with a curious expression. _I should actually say something to him so he doesn’t think that I’m a bastard. Even if he did replace me._ So Marc put a smile (somewhat genuine) on his face and walked over to the young rider.

“Hi,” he greeted Adrián who now looked shocked, “I’m Marc, we haven’t been introduced yet.”

The newbie stared at the older rider’s outstretched hand for a moment before realising that he should actually stop acting like a complete idiot and shake it. Which he did. “No, we haven’t. Adrián.”

“I know,” Marc replied with a smile, “You were really good out there. But you’re not leaning far enough. It’s important to get those last few degrees in MotoGP. Do that and the results will start coming. Sorry, it wasn’t actually my intention to come over here and point out what I think you’re doing wrong…”

“No! It’s fine, really. I’ll gladly take any criticism you give.”

The pregnant rider chuckled. _This guy isn’t so bad._ “Another piece of advice: take criticism on board but don’t always believe everything other people say no matter how high a position they’re in. Because you’re the rider. You know your bike and you know your limits. You have to trust yourself too.”

_Is this actually happening? You shouldn’t be helping me. You should hate me._ “I’ll take that on board. Thank you. Really. It means a lot.”

“No problem. I’m just a rookie too, right?”

_But you’re_ Marc Marquez. _You’re not just your average rookie._

He didn’t get a chance to reply to that, however. Dani seemed to be finished with everything and called for Marc who turned his head and grinned at the sight of his boyfriend, who was hovering by the door that led to private back part of the garage. “Sorry, I better go. It was nice to meet you.”

“You too…”

Marc gave him a little wave and a smile before following Dani into the back. He had barely stepped foot inside the door before the older rider attacked him with a kiss. Not that that was a bad thing… Marc responded instantly, wrapping his arms around Dani’s neck and pulling their bodies closer together. _I can’t believe I’m here. In Australia. Kissing you again._

After a minute or two, Dani had to pull away or else he was actually going to pass out from lack of oxygen. Marc rested his forehead against his and they just stayed there comfortably for a moment. “I still can’t believe you never told me you were coming to Australia! Seriously, Mike told me there was someone waiting for me when I got off the bike but I never expected it to be you.”

The pregnant rider beamed. “Surprise! You don’t even know how hard it was to keep it a secret. I wanted to tell you in the hotel the day before you left.”

Everything suddenly made a lot more sense. “Ah, so that’s why you were in such a good mood!”

“I’m always in a good mood, what are you talking about?” Marc wondered playfully. “But yes. Happy to see me?”

_Like you actually even have to ask that._ “Of course!” Dani said and enveloped the younger man in a hug once again, careful not to squeeze him too hard, before letting his hands rest over Marc’s bump which seemed to have gotten a centimetre or two bigger since the last time he saw him. “And the little one too. It feels weird, you know. Like I have to acknowledge its presence.”

Marc chuckled. “Yeah, I know how you feel. But in a couple of months you’ll have no choice but to acknowledge his presence.”

_I can’t wait._

“Where’s Dani?” Vale asked before swallowing a mouthful of pasta. Most of them (the Spanish contingent plus Vale minus one small Honda rider) were gathered in the restaurant (which was a whole lot better than the one in Sepang) eating before they had to return to the track.

Adrián shrugged. “Probably still with Marc.”

The Italian almost choked on his food. “Marc’s here?! Dani never told me he was coming.”

“That’s probably because Dani didn’t know. Marc just showed up during practice.”

There was a collective ‘aaw’ from Vale, Pol, Aleix and Ricky. Even Jorge showed a bit of emotion, cracking a smile.

“Yeah, that was pretty much the reaction of everyone in the garage. I have a feeling you all know something I don’t…”

Vale tried to wave it off, knowing that the young rider would naturally become suspicious. “You probably wouldn’t know but they’re best friends, practically attached at the hip,” _or other places…_ “Well, at least they were before Marc got injured. That’s why Dani got so offended when this idiot said those things about Marc last week.”

There was a look of indignation on the Mallorcan’s face and he shot a very pointed glare his team-mate’s way. “I apologised about that! Multiple times! And Marc seems to find it funny.”

“Yeah, but Dani doesn’t,” Pol added.

“Well I didn’t insult _Dani_ and Marc has forgiven me so I don’t see what the problem is.”

Ricky chuckled, thinking it was time to leave the subject before any more questions were asked. They didn’t need the pool of people who actually knew about their secret relationship growing. Ricky wasn’t even sure that Dani and Marc knew that he knew. But if they knew of his and Jorge’s relationship, chances were they knew or guessed the reverse was also true. He smiled wryly at Adrián. “Some things never change.”

 

Marc and Dani made good use of their time. They holed themselves up in the latter’s room, ordering room service instead of going down to the restaurant where they would never be alone. And they were far too touchy feely at the moment to even consider trying to discreet. So they ordered too much food (well, Dani thought it was too much, Marc seemed to have other ideas) and quickly began to pick up where they left off in the hotel in Barcelona.

Unfortunately, they actually had to keep the majority of their clothes on until the food arrived but that didn’t cause too many barriers. Like when Marc sat Dani down on one of the chairs by the window, closed the curtains and put a pillow on the floor in between the older man’s legs. Dani was hard before even being touched, never mind when Marc undid his zipper and tugged at his jeans, telling him to shift a little so he could pull them down. The older rider did what he was told, squeezing his eyes shut when his boyfriend’s fingers brushed his dick as Marc rid him of his pants and boxers.

Neither of them said a word as the pregnant rider positioned himself for optimum access and gave him a positively dangerous smile before pressing a kiss to the head of Dani’s now aching length. Dani arched instantly at that one little touch, feeling so completely turned on that he feared that he would come before Marc actually begun properly. But thoughts and fears went completely out the window the moment the younger man wrapped his lips, those perfect lips, around him.

The pained moan that escaped Dani’s lips only encouraged Marc more. He brought his tongue and teeth into play, circling the head that was already very moist with salty precome. Dani watched his boyfriend suck him intently. The sight of Marc with hollowed cheeks and black eyes was nearly enough to send him over the edge. _This is what a few days away from you does to me._ His fingers dug into the arms of the chair and his hips bucked every time Marc’s teeth grazed him; not enough to hurt but more than enough to stimulate him and cause him to tug on the younger man’s dark hair. His boyfriend worked him expertly with a perfect balance between contact and pressure and after an insanely short amount of time, Dani came in Marc’s mouth, shooting his hot come into the back of his throat.

Marc swallowed, the smile visible in his eyes that were now shining, before realising Dani’s dick once again. He was very satisfied that he had done a good job when he saw how completely debauched his boyfriend looked, breathing heavy with a thin coating of sweat on his tanned skin.

“ _Fuck._ How did you get so good at that?”

With a massive grin, he replied ‘lots of practice’ which earned a deathly glare from his boyfriend. Realising his mistake, Marc held up his hands. “With you! He clambered to his feet once again, coming to sit on Dani’s lap.

The older man smiled softly and brought their lips together, getting the distinctive taste of come as their tongues moved together. Before things could get any more heated, however, there was a knock on the door and Marc pulled away. “You better hide!” he chuckled before making his way to the door. Stopping in front of a mirror along the way to make sure there was no traces of any bodily fluids on his face.

In the meantime, Dani grabbed his pants and ran into the bathroom, shooting his boyfriend a ‘do not say anything’ glare upon seeing the completely amused expression on the pregnant rider’s face. Marc chuckled and waited for the door to close completely before answering the other one. As expected, it was their food and he instructed the waiter to put it on the table, right next to where he had just blown Dani and right next to the pair of boxers that his boyfriend seemed to have forgotten in his hurry.

Marc scratched his cheek in attempt to stop himself from bursting out laughing. _You win some, you lose some._


	27. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is one of the best days of my life hahaha ;) Bless you, Jorge Lorenzo, bless you!   
> Not my favourite chapter but it had to be done. Hope you enjoy!

“I’m not wearing that.”

“Come on! We talked about this before!”

“We were _joking_!”

Dani chuckled and shook his head, handing the t-shirt to his boyfriend once again. “Well, we’re not joking now. You love wearing my clothes.”

Mark handed it back again. “Yeah, but not in the middle of the paddock. What will everyone think when they see me walking around with a big 26 on me?”

The older man wouldn’t have suggested it if he didn’t think that they could get away with it. “We can laugh it off as a joke. Say that I forced you to wear it to support the team. And it’s black. Black is very slimming.”

Mark’s jaw dropped and Dani instantly knew that he had made a mistake. “Are you saying that I’m fat?!”

“No! I just- I don’t actually know where I was going with that one. I just thought it would appeal to you. You’re not fat. That was a stupid thing to say,” he quickly apologised and placed a kiss on Marc’s nose.

The younger rider huffed and grabbed the t-shirt from his boyfriend’s hand. “But I’m wearing a jacket, you possessive bastard,” he couldn’t help but smile. He knew that if the situation was reversed he would want Dani to wear his shirt.

“Thank you,” Dani beamed and kissed him once again.

_Don’t thank me yet. I might not even take the jacket off._ Marc decided to make a little show of it, making sure that his boyfriend got a very good eyeful of his bare torso before pulling on the Repsol t-shirt. Dani swallowed noticeably and Marc grinned. “Like what you see?”

“I think the way we spent the last forty minutes should tell you all you need to know about that one. Now come on, Alex will kill me for monopolising you.”

They managed to avoid running into any one they knew on the way to the track but changed practically the minute they set foot inside the paddock. And it wasn’t media or fans that were bothering them.

“There you are!” Vale greeted them very enthusiastically, pushing his way in between them are draping an arm around both of them. “How are my two favourite hobbits?”

Marc began to giggle, not because of the joke but because of the evil glare on his boyfriend’s face. “Remind me again exactly why we’re friends…”

The Italian rolled his eyes and energetically ruffled Dani’s hair which did nothing to redeem him in the Spaniard’s eyes. “Because you love me. And because I’m going to be best man at your wedding.”

Marc suddenly began to cough, looking between his boyfriend and their rival with wide brown eyes. It wasn’t the wedding bit that shocked him, it was how natural it seemed for Vale to talk about it. Up until then, the only people who had acknowledged their relationship like that were his family and, to a lesser extent, Emilio and Santi. It felt incredibly weird for Vale to be so nonchalant about it.

“Yeah, well you better get in line because there’s a queue.”

The pregnant rider’s eyes widened more if that was even possible. _Dani has a friend that he can freely talk about our hypothetical wedding with and it seems like the most natural thing in the world? Things have changed a lot since I was last here._

“Fuck. Who else is on the list? Maybe I can do a little bribing…”

Neither seemed to notice that Marc was pretty much flabbergasted. “Well at the moment it’s mainly Alex and I don’t think bribing is going to work with him. But we haven’t told my family about us yet so Eric’s probably going to want to be included too.”

“Ah, you haven’t told the family yet. When are you planning on doing that?”

“Tuesday, we think. Right, Marc? We’re going to Sabadell before I have to go to Japan.”

_Snap out of it. It’s not that big a deal._ “Yeah,” Marc finally manages to recover, “He’s met my family, now it’s my turn. I’m scared!” he chuckled.

Vale squeezed his shoulder, turning his gaze to the youngest rider and his left side. “You should be!”

Dani doesn’t waste any time in giving him an elbow in the ribs making the oldest rider wince. “No you shouldn’t. Don’t listen to him. He knows not what he’s talking about.”

Marc merely shook his head and smiled, freeing himself of Valentino’s grasp. “Okay, how about you two fight about that? I have to go watch my brother. Have fun!” he waved goodbye to them with his good arm before setting off in the direction of Alex’s garage.

His brother was already out on track when Marc reached his destination. Alex’s team all greeted him warmly and wished him a speedy recovery which he was very touched by. All the support and well-wishers may have actually helped with his recovery if he actually had something to recover from. But since his ‘recovery’ would take another five and a half months, he only hoped everyone felt the same then.

Julia wasted absolutely no time in asking how it went with Dani. Marc knew his father obviously meant with the surprise but he still had to try his absolute hardest not to blush so much that he glowed.

“G-“ cough “good! Yeah, he was really surprised. But obviously he was happy to see me.”

Knowing exactly what had gotten his son so flustered, Julia shook his head and chuckled. “That’s good…”

Marc cringed, rubbing his eye with the heel of his hand. “No! Don’t say it like you know something! God… just, no.”

Holding up his hands in surrender, Julia tried his very best not to laugh at his son’s evident embarrassment and failed miserably. _You think I don’t know. Are you claiming Immaculate Conception too?_ “Okay! I’m not saying anything.” Moving swiftly on… “Alex is looking forward to seeing you.”

Marc looked up at his little brother on the screen and smiled. He always experience truly unique emotions whenever he watched his brother on the bike. It was like a weird concoction of pride and fear and incredulity that was reserved for Alex alone but was now also shared with Dani. “I’m looking forward to seeing him too.” At those words Marc felt a stab of guilt. Because soon they would be seeing a lot less of each other and he didn’t know how he would come to terms with that. It would be the longest they have ever gone without seeing each other when he moved to Geneva and it felt a bit like he was choosing between Alex and Dani.

But it was a necessary choice. Because Marc couldn’t be without Dani and, for the time being, that meant Switzerland. Anyway, he had a feeling they would probably have to give Alex a room of his own...

 

“Marc, hi.”

Hearing his name, Marc looked around swiftly trying to figure out where it was coming from. He smiled when his eyes fell on Ricky who was now standing at his left side. “Hey, Ricky,” he greeted the Moto2 with a half hug.

“So it’s good to see you around again. We’ve all missed you. Well, some of us more than others but you know what I mean. Will you be back soon?” the younger rider asked, his voice evidently genuine.

“That’s nice to hear. I miss you all too,” Marc gave a brief shrug, “Not sure when I’ll be back. It’s… it’s a bit more complicated than I thought.”

Ricky was definitely sorry to hear that. He knew that Marc Marquez was just one of those people who was born to be on a bike, someone it was a privilege to watch, and every day he was kept off the bike was really a shame. “Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you’ll get better soon.”

“Yeah, hopefully…”

“Yeah…” _Now or never._ He stops walking and thankfully Marc realises and also stops, looking at him in confusion. “Sorry, I probably acting weird… I just wanted to talk to you about something. Could we… possibly go somewhere a bit more… private?”

_Wow, that’s a lot of pauses. Sounds ominous._ “Yeah, sure,” he looked around briefly, “over there,” Marc said with a reassuring smile before leading the younger man behind a now deserted Moto3 motorhome. _I wonder what this is about…_ “Okay,” he said once they had stopped, “So what’s up? It’s okay, you don’t have to look so nervous.”

Ricky couldn’t help but smile once he saw the grin on the MotoGP rider’s face. _You’re not who they say you are._ “I just wanted to apologise.”

_Not what I was expecting._ “Apologise?”

“Yeah… for Jorge.”

Marc’s lips formed a delicate ‘o’. “Right. You don’t have to apologise for anything, seriously-“

_Knew you would say that._ “He just didn’t know. I know he shouldn’t have called you the demon child or whatever but he didn’t know it would upset Dani like that. He… he didn’t know about you and him.”

_And the list of people is getting bigger._ Valentino, Aleix, Pol, Jorge, Ricky… Marc frowned. “Oh. You know?” He wondered if Dani actually told them or if they had just been as intuitive as the Espargarós. _He never mentioned anything…_

The Moto2 rider smiled apologetically. “Yeah. Sorry, Jorge told me. Apparently Vale had a go at him for what happened in Sepang. You don’t need to worry, neither of us are going to say anything. You’re secret’s safe with us,” Ricky chuckled, “Actually, it’s probably safer with us than anyone else.”

“And why is that?”

Ricky cocked to his side, a curious smile on his face. “Huh, I thought you of all people would have known.”

Once again Marc frowned. He was really starting to get confused now. _What’s that supposed to mean?_ He didn’t understand why _he_ of all people should know. “Known what?”

“That Jorge and I… are like you and Dani.”

And with that, the pregnant rider’s jaw fell open in a very unattractive and dramatic manner. That was probably the last thing he had been expecting. _Wow. Yeah, I guess that is kinda ironic._ Although a lot of things were starting to make sense… “Oh!” he was pretty sure that he was now glowing bright red, “Wow. You and Jorge?”

This time it was Ricky’s turn to blush. The younger rider self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. And the people we’ve told seem to think that it’s not much of a surprise… which is why I was surprised you didn’t know. And, obviously, because you’re also in a relationship with another rider.

_That makes sense._ Marc grinned, really happy that Ricky felt that he could talk to him. _And Dani and I are not the only MotoGP couple!_ “Yeah, I get it. I’m happy for you two!”

“Thank you. And that’s something else I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to tell _you_ that I was happy for you two. You and Dani make a good couple. From what I’ve seen of him over the past two weeks, Dani seems to absolutely adore you.”

He couldn’t help but smile like a child who had just been given a puppy. “I adore him too.”

Ricky chuckled, now feeling a lot lighter. “I can see that. So, I know Dani has Vale and you have Alex; but I want you to know that you can always talk to me. If you have a fight with Dani and you just want to vent to someone or someone to be on your side, I would be more than happy to listen. I know what this is like…”

Marc stared at the younger man in pleasant shock for a moment. Sure, he and Ricky had been friendly before but he found what the Moto2 rider had to say very touching. It made him feel a little bit emotional. _Stupid pregnancy hormones._ He didn’t even try to fight the massive smile that quickly took over his face. “I’d like that. Alex is amazing but there are some things…”

“I get it. Trust me! Some things are better discussed with friends than family.”

“Yeah…” He opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off by the sound of his phone ringing. Marc glanced at the screen and smiled. “Dani. Quali is about to start so I better get going. But I’m so glad that we had this conversation. Thank you, Ricky, it really means a lot.”

The younger man waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. Here,” Ricky beamed and hugged Marc, the older of the two brushing his lips briefly against his jaw, “Talk to you later on?”

“Yeah. Sounds good. Good luck!”

 

“Marc, can we have a word?”

Emilio had already cleared it with the reporter but obviously the English woman decided that it would be impolite not to ask him as well. Dani had just secured pole by a couple of hundredths of a second, meaning that he was now beaming from ear to ear like a moron. But a very in love moron. He hoped that he didn’t look excessively happy for his team-mate cum boyfriend. “Sure.” She was very pretty, he guessed. The type that other riders that weren’t in a committed relationship with a man would love; blue eyes, blond hair…

“Firstly, how’s the injury?”

_I should be a pro at lying by now._ “It’s a lot better than what it was but still not so good. I’m working on it!”

“So should we expect to see you back on the bike in Japan?”

Marc chuckled softly to himself. “No, I don’t think so. It take a lot of work and unfortunately, I am not yet ready to get on the bike. It hurt my chances of… winning the championship but there is not much I can do.”

“And what about Valencia?”

He just smiled knowingly and shrugged. “We will see.”

“It’s nice to see you here supporting the team. Or rather your team-mate, Dani,” she gestured to the 26 emblazoned on his chest with a wry smile.

Marc pulled at the fabric briefly and shook his head. “I like to support the team. I am still a part of Repsol Honda but the shirt… I may be bigger than Dani but he has two good arm!”

_Nicely played, Marc; nicely played._


	28. Episode 28: The Demonchild Strikes Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was flicking on the tv the other day and I came across a tv programme called 'Dani's House' (obviously I was very disheartened to find that it wasn't in fact about Dani Pedrosa) but it made me laugh.   
> (And think of a certain conversation 994527, malu ;))
> 
> Any way, please enjoy this chapter while I stress out about what we're going to call baby Marquez-Pedrosa. And sorry for the shameful chapter title! I just couldn't resist...

Dani didn’t win the race. But he did manage to pick up second place which is vital for his bid to win the championship. He and Lorenzo were neck in neck and the next race was really important. It would pretty much decide if the battle would go on to Valencia or not. Marc and Dani still spent Sunday night celebrating.

After all he had fulfilled all his media obligations, Dani returned to his room where Marc was patiently (or not so patiently as it turned out) waiting for him. His own room had gone unused for anything but clothes since the first night that he arrived. The younger rider also took the liberty of ordering dinner for them so that absolutely no time would be wasted. He learned, however, when the food arrived that there was probably a reason Dani never let him order. It was even too much food by pregnant Marc’s standards.

Once they had eaten, he flitted from the bed and pulled the door open a fraction, just enough to stick his hand out and hang the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the handle. Dani chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “Was that really necessary?” _Nothing spells ‘I’m having sex’ more than a ‘do not disturb’ sign._

Marc jumped back onto the bed once again, kneeling inches away from his boyfriend. “I want have hot podium sex with my boyfriend without anyone interfering, is that too much to ask?” he grinned before placing a soft kiss on Dani’s lips.

_No, definitely not too much to ask._

 

“Marc? What the hell is wrong with your phone?” Dani groaned. He was just about to drift off into a multiple orgasm induced slumber and the seemingly never ending beeping was really putting a stop to that.

Marc was just as perturbed as his boyfriend. “I have no idea. Ugh, leave me alone,” he chastised the device before illuminating the screen. He was certainly awake when he saw what was waiting for him. _Two hundred notifications… that doesn’t spell anything good._ “Dani?”

Another groan. “Yeah?”

“I think something may have happened…”

Dani’s eyes flew open and he turned his head towards the younger man, eyes narrowed slightly. “Why would you think that? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”

“Yeah. We’re fine! It’s just…” Marc decided it was best to just open Twitter and see what was actually going on. It didn’t take him long to figure it out. “Oh.”

_Okay, I’m really worried now._ The older rider sat up straight in the bed, a million bad things that would warrant such an ‘oh’ running through his mind. “ _Oh_? Marc please tell me what’s going on,” he reached out and took his boyfriend’s hand.

There was a weird silence for a moment before the younger man cracked a smile and started laughing seemingly uncontrollably. Dani didn’t find this amusing at all. _Great, I’m having a heart attack here and you’re laughing?_ With a grimace, he tugged his hand away once again. “Okay, tell me what’s going on now. And that’s not a request.”

Marc looked up at the older man with even more amusement in his chocolate coloured eyes. _Wow, you’re really cute when you get authoritative._ “I might as well tell you since you asked so nicely,” Dani opened his mouth to protest but he soon realised that his boyfriend was joking. “Are you ready?” A nod. “Well, the world seems to think that Ricky and I are…”

Dani arched an eyebrow. “Are?”

The pregnant rider smiled sheepishly. “Dating.”

And that definitely got the reaction he had been expecting. The older man’s expression went from shock to disbelief to anger. _Dating? Please tell me this is a joke. Why would people think that you’re dating him?_ “Ricky Cardús? Would you care to tell me exactly why the world seems to think that you’re dating Ricky Cardús?”

_And you’re even cuter when you’re jealous._ Marc put on his best puppy dog eyes to diffuse the situation slightly (he knew Dani was powerless to resist the puppy dog eyes) and reclaimed his hand once again. “Promise you won’t freak out, okay? Because it really isn’t as bad as it seems.”

_It’s not as bad as it seems is really not a phrase that anyone likes to hear… But you’re my boyfriend and I trust you._ Still just as wary, Dani nodded. “Okay…”

Satisfied that the older rider was adequately prepared, Marc opened one of the many tweets he was mentioned in and handed the phone over to his boyfriend.

For a moment upon seeing the picture, Dani could feel himself getting angry. He had to remind himself that it ‘wasn’t as bad’ as it seemed. So, staring the photo of his boyfriend engaged in a hug with the Moto2 rider, he took a deep breath and calmed himself. “Can you tell why exactly you found this hilarious?”

“ _Because,_ it’s just a hug, isn’t it? Okay, the person who took it obviously got a really good angle and we were having a private conversation behind one of the Moto3 motorhomes but it could have been anyone, couldn’t it? You or Vale or Nicky or whoever.”

Dani understood what he was saying but it obviously didn’t seem like just that to the people of Twitter or else it wouldn’t be all over the place. And the fact that they were ‘hiding’ didn’t make it much better. “People actually think that you and Ricky are in a relationship?”

Marc shrugged and laid back on his pillow. “Yeah. Well, it’s kinda implied. But the funniest thing is, the person who took it must have the worst luck in the world. Because he or she managed to catch two gay riders but not with the right people.” _The irony._

Dani was too busy being completely shocked to appreciate said irony however. His jaw fell agape and Marc was pretty sure his eyes would be strained from how wide they were. “ _Ricky is gay?!_ ”

_Glad I’m not the only one who didn’t see it coming._ “Apparently. I was shocked when he told me too. I mean, I always thought that he and Jorge were just really good friends-“

Marc honestly thought that he was going to have to perform CPR because his boyfriend honestly looked as if he was going into cardiac arrest right there and then. “ _Jorge is gay?!_ ” _I think I’m going to faint. How can I be around these people for so long and not pick up these kind of things?!_

“Yup. I know, I was shocked too when Ricky told me.”

“Fuck. For two people in an actual gay relationship, our ability to notice other gay relationships is really lacking…”

The pregnant rider nodded emphatically. “I know, right? But seriously, who would have suspected Jorge?” A massive grin took over his face. _I know you’re going to love this…_ “We can double date now and it will just look like a group of friends!”

Dani actually groaned and threw himself back on the pillow dramatically. “Fantastic! I can’t wait to go on dates with _him._ Ugh, I now have _another_ thing in common with him. It’s like anything you can do I can do better. Next we’ll be having competitions to see who the best gay is.”

“Well you’ve already gotten me pregnant so unless Ricky’s more than four months gone, you win.”

“How do you even think of these things? So what are you going to do about all this speculation?” he wondered, now a lot more serious. This still had to be addressed in some way or other.

Marc bit his lip and grinned. “I have an idea…” He opened his Twitter once again and clicked composed tweet. _This is going to be so good._

@marcmarquez93: Hey @rickycardus88, I hear we’re dating now! #omg #soexcited

Once the tweet was sent, he handed over his phone to a very curious Dani with the biggest smile ever on his face. The older rider quickly scanned over it and chuckled. Marc was brilliant, that was a fact that couldn’t be denied. “Of all the ways you could have handled that, I think you picked the best,” Dani admitted honestly.

Grin unfaltering, Marc leaned over and placed a not so gentle kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. “Thank you.” Another beep. “Ooh, I hope that’s Ricky! This is actually very fun.”

@rickycardus88: @marcmarquez93 We are? Score! #bestsurpriseever #dreamcometrue #foreverlove

@46ValeYellow: @marcmarquez93 @rickycardus88 Congratulations! Maybe you two will let me best man at your wedding unlike some people… #nooneinparticular #coughcough

@lorenzo99: @marcmarquez @rickycardus88 Keep your paws off my best friend! #iwillfightyou

@rickycardus88: @lorenzo99 You have to let me go Jorge!#stillyourbestfriend #iwillalwaysloveyoooouuu

@marcmarquez93: All’s fair in love and war! #demonchild #toldyouiwascomingforyou #revenge

@26_danipedrosa, @46ValeYellow, @AleixEspargaro and ten others  retweeted this.

 

*

“The tables have turned now, haven’t they?” Dani commented as they pulled up outside his parents’ house in the rental car.

Marc wasted no time in grimacing and sticking his tongue out at his boyfriend. He found himself having to wipe his moist palms on his jeans once again. The stress was really getting to him, it seemed. “That’s different. My parents knew about you. Your parents don’t know about me.”

“I got you pregnant!”

“I’m pregnant by you!”

_Okay, this is silly. It’s not a competition._ Dani shook his head and chuckled, reaching out to take Marc’s left hand over the centre console. “Let’s not fight about it. We need to put on a united front. No weakness.”

As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t help but giggle at that. “Are we telling your parents that we’re in a relationship or are we going to war?”

_That’s what I like to see._ The older rider paused for a moment, pretending to contemplate that one fully. “A little bit of both. Can we do it?”

A scoff. “Of course. I’m still nervous though. I hope they like me.”

Dani pressed his lips against his boyfriend, just giving him a moment to calm down. Their lips moved softly together, the perfect balance of contact and pressure, and the older rider reached out and brushed his thumb across Marc’s now slightly pink cheeks. “They will like you, I promise. Remember what I said though, okay? They might not be as quick to come around to the idea as your parents but it will happen.”

Marc nodded, a look of determination and concentration on his face. “Let’s do this.”

They got out of the car and made their way up the driveway to the front door side by side. The pregnant rider longed to just reach out and take his boyfriend’s hand, seeking reassurance, but knew he couldn’t. Instead, he settled for letting their hands brush every now and then. Once they reached the porch, Dani tried the handle of the front door and was relieved to find it was unlocked. _They’re letting us come to them._

Before they made their way inside, Dani turned to look at Marc silently assuring them that everything would be fine. Marc just gave a brief nod and stuck close to his boyfriend’s back as they stepped over the threshold. “Mama?” The sound of Dani’s voice startled Marc and he scooted closer to his side.

“We’re in the kitchen, Dani!”

_This is it. Please don’t react badly. Because it’s going to kill him if you don’t like him._

He suddenly felt a pinch from Marc’s nails as the younger man grabbed hold of the back of his shirt. _Please like him._ Dani pivoted slightly so that he was facing his boyfriend once again and planted one last lingering kiss on his gorgeous lips. “United front, remember? I love you.”

Marc nodded, inhaling deeply. “I love you, too.”

Dani gave him one last reassuring smile before he lead the younger man through the hall decorated with pictures of him and his brother through the years (he knew they would be something for Marc to make fun of him over later) and into the kitchen.

His mother and father, who were stirring some kind of sauce at the cooker and leaning against the counter respectively, turned instinctively upon hearing them enter. The dramatic change in their expressions, shifting from one of cheerful welcome to shock and confusion upon seeing Marc Marquez by their son’s side, made the pregnant rider flinch. He had to try so hard to keep his trademark smile on his face.

_Promising._

“Dani,” his mother seemed to snap out of her state of shock and was now smiling once again, “When you said you were bringing someone home we assumed you meant a girlfriend, not your team-mate.” There was no malice or double meaning behind her words which instantly told the couple that she hadn’t come to the right conclusion about the nature of their relationship. “But it’s nice to see you again, Marc.”

Marc looked to his boyfriend for guidance who shifted and coughed awkwardly, attempting to ready himself to break the news. _Now or never…_ “Actually,” Dani elongated that word enough to arouse suspicion, “You had the right idea, just not the right noun. I brought Marc home to reintroduce him to you… as my boyfriend.”

_Now the fun begins._


	29. Meet The Parents- Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eeek! I'm really excited about some of the upcoming chapters (cough cough, chapter 32, cough cough) But in the meantime... here's chapter 29 :)

“So mama, papa, this is Marc; Marc, this is my mother, Basilia, and my father, Antonio.”

Trying his very best not to be completely disheartened at how Dani’s parents were seemingly frozen to the spot upon hearing their son’s declaration, Marc smiled even brighter and waved. “It’s nice to meet you again.” _Keep smiling, maybe they’ll smile too…_

“Is this a joke?” Antonio’s voice penetrated the silence from that side of the kitchen, making both Dani and Marc flinch at his tone. Basilia gave her husband a slightly disapproving look but it was mainly for voicing what she was thinking.

 _Of course you chose the hard way._ Dani reached out and claimed the younger man’s hand, showing them that he was completely serious. Marc squeezed back and the older rider knew he had to take a firm stance on this. _No weakness._ “No, it’s not a joke. We’ve been seeing each other for the past four months. I thought it was time that you knew- _we_ thought it was time you knew. Okay?” _Tell me it’s not okay. I dare you._

Antonio opened his mouth to say something but Basilia, obviously getting the message behind her son’s words loud and clear, beat her husband to it. “Of course. Why don’t you and Marc go and sit yourselves at the table? Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. There’s beer and other drinks in the fridge,” she gestured in the general direction of the fridge and smiled before turning back to the cooker.

Dani gave his boyfriend a small nod and Marc sheepishly made his way over to the far side of the room while he opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of San Miguel for himself and a can of Orangina for his boyfriend. Dani hated that Marc couldn’t drink at the moment because he felt his father’s eyes on him as he set the two down on the table and he never felt the age gap as much. If one didn’t know better, the two beverages were almost symbolic.

Marc smiled gratuitously at the older man and Dani sat down in the seat next to him, placing a peck on his lips just because they were boyfriends and he could. Dani mouthed ‘You okay?” at him and Marc nodded but reached out and grabbed his boyfriend’s hand firmly underneath the table.

They were very quickly joined by Antonio and Basilia who placed the last few dishes on the table so they could all start eating. It was such a strange experience for the pregnant rider. Dani spent so much time around his family that he forgot to think of what it would be like to be around Dani’s family… How it might be different.

But the mood had definitely shifted since their little revelation and that was very much thanks to Dani’s mother. She seemed to just diffuse the tension by making casual conversation in a way that reminded Marc very much of his father. That in itself gave him a confidence boost. Dani’s family wasn’t too unlike his own. It’s just some of the roles were different.

“How’s Eric? I haven’t spoken to him in the past couple of days,” Dani asked while putting some asparagus on his plate. He offered the dish two Marc but the younger man just wrinkled his nose and gave a low ‘no thanks’.

“Good. I spoke to him this morning- though that probably isn’t an accurate description since all I really got from him was grunts and monosyllabic words. He seems to be really enjoying the wedding,” Basilia replied playfully and it made Marc feel even more comfortable. _Looks like I don’t have to worry._ He relaxed his shoulders finally, moving from his poker straight position in his chair.

All three men at the table chuckled at that. “Aren’t you lucky you have such a well behaved first son to make up for him?” the older rider wondered with a chuckle, his eyes crinkling around the edges as a smile took over his face.

Antonio scoffed. “I wouldn’t exactly say well-behaved is an accurate description of you but if you want to think that, go right ahead!”

“You’re like the complete opposite of Alex and I. He’s the sensible son in our house.... But he’s lazy and he also knows how to play the ‘baby’ card when he needs to.”

Once again Dani laughed, nudging his boyfriend softly. “Huh. Maybe we should introduce them? Seems like they would really get along!”

Marc grinned at him. “Only if Eric promises not to corrupt my baby brother!” he said before realised the other meaning that could be behind that and felt his cheeks begin to burn. _Please tell me you took that the way I meant it…_

But no-one seemed to bat an eyelid at his little comment. If anything, they all laughed and just continued on naturally with the conversation. Marc foolishly felt like this massive weight had been lifted off of him because, no matter how well they were getting along, there was still the matter of telling them about the baby.

The conversation took a turn for the worst during desert. The pregnant rider had just began tucking into the delicious homemade cheesecake when Antonio casually asked the dreaded question.

“So, Marc, you’re not wearing the sling anymore. Does that mean that you’re going to Japan?”

Marc stopped his second spoonful centimetres away from his mouth, frozen in shock. After what he felt seemed like far too long to be considered natural, he looked to his boyfriend on his left, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. Dani’s jaw was clenched slightly as he tried to figure out exactly what they should do. The couple had a silent conversation briefly that ended with the older of the two giving his boyfriend a little nod. Marc put the spoon back down into the bowl and tried to calm himself but to no avail.

Dani cleared his throat briefly, not at all liking the suspicious and generally dumbfounded expressions on his parents’ face. “I guess there’s no point in lying…” he reached out once again and grabbed Marc’s hand, this time letting them rest on the table cloth, “Marc isn’t injured. His arm works perfectly fine.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense…”

This time it was Dani that shot Marc a questioning look. The younger of the two gave a stiff no, silently giving permission for him to break the news. “There’s something we need to tell you… And before we do, you need to promise not to freak out, okay? Because it is a little bit- well, _a lot_ \- shocking…” he looked to his boyfriend for reassurance for some unknown reason and wasn’t surprised not to get any, “Marc and I are having a baby.”

Silence on top of silence and then some. If this was a western movie, this would be the part when the tumble weed blew past. Basilia’s spoon dropped with an ear-splitting clink on her dish and Antonio’s face turned to stone before their very eyes.

“You’re what?!”

“Having a baby. We’re going to be parents.”

Dani’s parents looked to Marc seemingly for confirmation that this was all true and the young rider smiled as best he could and nodded. “It’s true. I’m due in March.”

Their eyes immediately flew to Marc and the pregnant rider never felt under so much scrutiny in life. His grasp on Dani’s hand tightened so much that he was sure that there would be damage done to his boyfriend’s hand. _Please don’t let go._ Basilia merely cocked her head to the side while Antonio continuously looked him up and down, trying to find that something he had missed earlier on. The majority of Marc’s abdomen was hidden by the table, however.

“You’re going to keep it?” Dani’s father’s voice, guarded and calculated, broke the silence after what seemed like a lifetime.

Sensing the sarcastic/angry remark that was about to come from his boyfriend, Marc decided to take the lead. “Yes, we’re keeping it.”

More hesitation. “Is that wise? You’re both so young- especially you, Marc- is a baby really what you two need right now? You said that you’ve only being seeing each other for the past four months, is that really long enough to make this commitment to each other? A baby is a very big deal- something you’ll both have to live with for the rest of your lives…” Antonio commented once again. His wife remained quiet by his side but neither Marc nor Dani could tell if it was because she was shocked or agreed with what her husband had to say.

 _Okay, I think it’s time I made things abundantly clear._ Dani frowned, taking a deep breath to try and collect himself before he uttered a word. _Don’t make this more than it has to be._ “We’re keeping the baby,” their eldest son stated firmly, “We’ve already decided. Marc wants the baby, I want the baby. We’re not under any illusions that it’s going to be easy but we love each other and we are going to love this baby too.”

A smile began to break through on Basilia’s face and Marc felt a weight lift but that was very short lived.

“Love?” Antonio scoffed, “You’ve hardly been together long enough to know what the word means!”

 _Right, it’s time to take a stand._ Marc knew that it would be hard for Dani’s father to take him seriously if he just sat back and let Dani do all the talking. He needed to show them that he wasn’t just a silly kid with an agenda looking to take their son for a ride. His heart began hammering violently against his chest. “I understand why you’re concerned-“

“Marc,” Dani turned to him and muttered lowly, “you don’t have to-“

“No, Dani; it’s okay. I need to do this for me and you and everyone,” he explained calmly before turning his gaze back to Antonio and Basilia who were now watching him with even more curiosity. “Like I said, I know and understand why you’re concerned. You think I’m too young for him. Or that I’m playing him and only want to throw him off his game. Or that I’m really the only one gaining from this relationship. But none of that is true. Because the truth is, Dani is the one I’m meant to be with.

“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. He’s the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I walked away from the chance of winning a championship in my rookie season- pretty much handing it to _him_ \- so I could have your son’s baby, your _grandchild_. And I’m completely okay with that. Not because I don’t love racing but because I love Dani more than anything in this world and I’m going to love our child just as much. If that doesn’t tell you all you need to hear then there’s not much more I can do.”

The whole table seemed to be shocked into silence by Marc’s not-so-little and, frankly, very mature declaration. A proper smile finally broke through on Basilia’s face and Dani beamed proudly at his boyfriend for having the guts to stand up to his father. After what seemed like hours (Marc was pretty sure that was actually going to have a heart attack), the stony expression on Antonio’s face seemed to crack into something almost resembling a smile. _Almost._

Dani’s father cleared his throat. “Okay.”

Marc’s eyes widened and he exchanged a surprised glace with his boyfriend. _What does that mean? ‘Okay’ you think that or ‘okay’ I won’t denounce you and your baby?_ “Okay?”

“Okay. It’s obvious that you two are serious about each other. And it better stay that way because no grandchild of mine will be caught in a messy break-up. If you’re going to do this, you have got to make sure that this is it- that you’re forever.”

Dani chuckled at the fact that he could now breathe once again and brought the back of Marc’s hand to his lips. _I’m so proud of you. I’ve never been more proud of you._ It seemed that the younger man kept finding more and more ways to surprise him day by day and he felt this overwhelming feeling of love for his boyfriend. _You don’t have to worry about that. Because I’m never going to be without him._ “We’re forever.” _I’m going to make damn sure of that._

“Well then, congratulations!” Basilia stood and the two riders followed suit so that she could hug the both of them. She gave her son a big squeeze before focusing her attention on the man that now played a massive part in their lives. Marc exchanged an amused glance with Dani as she wrapped her arms around him and excitedly placed a kiss on his cheek. “We’re going to be grandparents! Antonio, our baby is having a baby!”

The magnitude of the situation is not lost on either Marc or Dani. Nothing in particular was said about it but the implication is that Dani’s mother had been worried that they would never get any grandchildren from him. She obviously had been very in tune with her eldest son and which sex he really preferred. And the fact that Marc Marquez could give that to them was nothing short of a miracle.

So the pregnant rider smiled genuinely as Basilia carefully and excitedly placed her hands over his little baby bump that wasn’t so little anymore. And it certainly gave him a lot of satisfaction when she listened intently as he told her his suspicions of the baby being a boy.

Dani left them to it while he started up his own conversation with his father. More about his riding than his relationship with Marc but he didn’t really mind so much. Because Dani definitely didn’t realise how much the prospect of breaking the news to his parents had been weighing on him until it was already over. And it was such a relief. At one point he looked over at Marc and felt one hundred per cent at ease.

_We can really face anything after this. Nothing else matters._


	30. Acceptance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well what do we think? Lewis or Nico? Hahaha ;) Here you go! Thank you for everything so far; comments, kudos, bookmarks... ♥

Dani had to admit that he was completely shocked by how well everything turned out. Bar the tension at dinner, there was absolutely no more conflict and it made him deliriously happy to see Marc accepted and getting along with his parents. They treated him like a normal person instead of a naïve twenty one year old who was stupid enough to get himself knocked up which was definitely a relief. Dani knew very well that sometimes people had a hard time taking his boyfriend seriously because of his age and was incredibly glad that didn’t apply here.

They spent the night, seeing no point in going back to Cervera when Dani had to be back at the airport early enough the next morning. After all the travelling and everything that had happed over the weekend, Marc crashed at eight o’clock on the sofa. Dani had never been happier that his parents’ house only had one floor as he carried his boyfriend, who was admittedly a lot heavier now, down the corridor to his bedroom.

The pregnant rider seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness, muttering things that made little sense to his boyfriend. Very gently, Dani put Marc down on the bed using his other hand to quickly pull back the covers. Marc’s hand out of nowhere grasped the older man’s shirt and Dani was shocked by the strength of half-asleep Marc. “Come to bed.”

He leaned down on placed a gentle kiss on his boyfriend’s forehead before removing himself from the younger man’s grip. _You are actually the most perfect person I have ever met in my life._ Dani chuckled, his heart swelling with affection as Marc reached out to grip him again. “I’ll join you in a couple of minutes, okay? There’s just something I have to do first.”

_Are you pouting?_ “Promise?”

“No, I’m going to run away and leave you here on your own. Of course I promise! Now go to sleep. You need to get some rest.”

Obviously content with that reply, the frown lines on Marc’s forehead quickly smoothed out and the pregnant rider pulled the duvet closer to his body. Dani wouldn’t be surprised if he was actually asleep again by the time he even made it to the door of his old bedroom. With one last glance at the figure in the bed, he smiled to himself and closed the door so that his boyfriend wouldn’t be disturbed by… anything.

His parents hadn’t moved from where they were in the sitting room, most likely anticipating their son’s return. Because, for all the bonding and whatever, they still needed to have a discussion as a family that didn’t involve Marc. Or rather didn’t involve Marc’s participation.

“Is he still asleep?” Basilia wondered casually with a fond smile.

“Yeah. He woke for a few minutes but I’d say he’s well and truly asleep now. These last few days have taken a lot out of him. With all the travelling and, well, this. The stress isn’t good for him,” Dani stated matter-of-factly as he retook the place he had been previously sitting in on the two-seater.

“He’s really lovely, Dani. I must admit, I had my worries when you two first arrived but he seems to be everything we could have wished for for you and more,” his mother admitted and Dani could tell that she truly meant every single word. It made him feel a hundred times lighter.

_She approves._ “He’s everything _I_ could have wished for and more.”

Antonio cleared his throat awkwardly, a look of what strangely resembled guilt on his face. He hesitated for a moment. “I’m sorry I was so hard on the both of you… But, you know, I only want the best for you. And it had nothing to do with the fact that he’s a man. I would have reacted the very same way if it was a woman that was pregnant with your child. It’s still obviously very serious but you two seem to know what you’re doing…”

_You bet we do. It’s me and Marc now and that’s the way it’s going to be from here on in._ “We know exactly what we’re doing. Marc found out about the baby when we were going through an awkward period; mainly because he was so messed up and scared and had no idea what was going on with him. But when he did tell me, I knew immediately where this was heading. I didn’t feel trapped or scared because I knew that he was the one for me. I know it today, I’ll know it tomorrow and I’ll know it in ten years.”

His father blinked, trying very hard to take everything in and ended up very surprised by just how deep Dani was in this. “This is really it?”

He smiled and nodded. “This is it. I’m going to finish out the season, then Marc is going to move in with me and then he’s going to give birth to our baby and get back to work when he’s ready. And, someday, I’m going to put a ring on his finger and have Eric and Alex and Valentino and everyone fight over the right to be best man. Marc’s here to stay.”

_This is it._

Dani inwardly cursed when his alarm went off at eight o’clock the next morning. Race weekends like these were always hard; when they were jetting off to far corners of the earth and back again just to fly another five thousand kilometres a day later. Assuming that Marc had also been rudely awoken by the intrusive sound, he mumbled a ‘morning’ and rolled over only to find the other side of the bed vacant and cool. Dani immediately sat up, worry quickly overwhelming him. _Where did he go?_

Now fully awake, the HRC rider silenced his alarm before throwing off the covers and exiting the bedroom. He padded quietly down the hall past the (empty) bathroom and the front door until he got to the kitchen. Relieved by the noise coming from inside, Dani pushed the door open to see Marc and his mother sitting at the breakfast counter, a mug of tea in both their hands.

Basilia’s eyes fell on him first. “Good morning, sweetheart,” she greeted him with an unbelievably wide smile and a kiss on the cheek.

Marc seemed to be a lot more alert than he had been the previous night anyway, smiling away to himself. “Morning. Your mother has peppermint tea!” Technically, he didn’t really need the stomach calming effect of the drink anymore but he had kind of gotten a taste for the herbal tea. Plus, there was still a limit on the amount of caffeine he could consume…

“Morning. And I was worried about you! I woke up and you were nowhere to be found,” Dani almost pouted, not really knowing what had come over him, and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend who was still sitting down.

The pregnant rider smiled apologetically and softly pressed his lips against Dani’s hair. “Sorry. I know my dad makes jokes about me sleeping twelve hours but I really don’t need that much… I originally just got up to get a glass of water and then I saw your mother was up and-“

“It’s okay,” Dani smiled, knowing that Marc was on the brink of going on one of his little rants, “You were asleep pretty early last night,” he climbed up on a stool right next to his boyfriend and grabbed a green apple, “So what have you two been so happily discussing?”

“You,” the pregnant rider grinned and chuckled. “And the baby. You mom says that she will be willing to help take care of him when I start riding again.”

_There you go with the ‘him’ again… I hope for your sake it’s actually a boy._ Dani looked up at his mother, a small playing on his lips. “That would be great.”

Basilia waved it off and placed a big kiss on her son’s cheek, looking like she had just been told that she had won the lottery. “Of course I’m going to want to spend as much time as I can with my first grandchild. I’m already planning ways to completely spoil him.”

“I think we’re going to have to have a serious conversation about that because there’s going to be too many people wanting to spoil it- _him_ ,” he quickly amended before Marc even got a chance to give him another lecture about calling the baby an ‘it’.

The younger man grinned and affectionately placed a kiss on his boyfriend’s lips again. “We have plenty of time to plan that. Oh, before I forget, I’m booked for some kind of appearance in Milan on Friday… Would it be okay if I just drove to Geneva afterwards and stayed at yours?” Marc asked, putting on his puppy dog eyes on the off chance that Dani would actually refuse him (the man who was going to give birth to his child) anything.

Dani frowned and brushed his thumb over the soft skin of Marc’s cheek. “Of course. You don’t even have to ask that. From now on you just say ‘Hey, I’m going to be in Italy on Friday and afterwards I’m staying in Geneva’. It’s your home too- or at least it will be. I’ll give you my key and you can get one cut for yourself.”

“Your father and I both have keys so I could just give Marc mine. Chances are we would be going together if we visited.”

“Yeah, that would be great. What’s the appearance for?”

Marc shrugged, taking another sip of his peppermint tea. “The opening of some new training facility and then a couple of interviews… It sucks. I can’t ride but I still have to do these PR things. I can’t even go to Motegi now,” he pouted. The disappointment when Emilio told him he had been booked had been huge and he had pleaded with his manager to get them moved to earlier in the week but Marc knew that he had certain duties to fulfil. And as well as that, people would start to wonder exactly why he didn’t do it.

Dani definitely shared his boyfriend’s disappointment. Being with Marc in Australia had made his weekend. Everything instantly seemed better; he felt better about the bike, his riding, the race… just everything whenever he knew that his boyfriend was nearby. And the fact that Marc wouldn’t be able to make it to Japan saddened him. _But you’ll be in Valencia. And things are really going to get interesting then…_ “I know it sucks. But soon enough we won’t be in different countries. It will be me and you together all the time.”

Their lips pressed together once again, this time Marc biting down on the older rider’s lip. Basilia’s eyes widened at that and she softly cleared her throat. “I’m just going to… go check on your father…”

Both riders blushed scarlet as the separated once again just in time to watch Dani’s mother exit the kitchen with a knowing smile on her face. “We just repel people everywhere we go…” Marc commented, amusement evident in his voice as he joined their mouths once again.

Dani kissed him back ferociously, though it was somewhat hindered by the fit of giggles that had suddenly overcome him. “I can’t imagine why…”

They left Sabadell at ten o’clock. That was after having breakfast and bidding farewell to Dani’s parents whom Marc could honestly say he was fond of and that definitely wasn’t something he had been expecting. He even gave Basilia one of his ultrasound printouts for her to hang on the fridge or wherever grandmothers-to-be usually put those kind of things. His own mother put it on the s _ide_ of the fridge which confused him a lot but he was past trying to figure out how the female mind works (hence the reason he had Dani).

The older rider insisted on driving to the airport for no other reason than the fact that Marc had to drive all the way back to Cervera and he didn’t want him to get too tired. This time, all goodbyes were done in the car with Dani once again promising to text when he landed and call every single night. All though the bidding farewell, even temporarily, never got easier it didn’t exactly get harder either. So Marc left Dani with a big kiss and a bone-crunching hug and set off for his hometown. And it was slightly terrifying…

_Because this week I’m going to tell them about Geneva._


	31. The Ace Up My Sleeve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Finally, a chance to update this! Today was so hectic that I wasn't sure I'd be able to but thankfully I finally got a moment :) Thank you for everything so far, once again. It means the world to me!

“You’re what?!”

Roser stared at her eldest son in complete and utter shock, almost dropping the cup of coffee in her hand in the process. Julia seemed to be a lot calmer. He merely let out a whoosh of air and folded his arms across his chest, leaning back in his chair.

 _Keep calm… just explain this like the mature adult you are. And don’t show any weakness._ It was hard though. Marc wanted to just cringe at his mother’s reaction but he knew that would be completely counter-productive. So, instead, he took a deep breath and placed his palms firmly down on the table.

“I’ve decided to move to Geneva with Dani once the season is over.”

_Now comes the fun part._

*

“I just got a call from Eric,” Dani stated in a matter-of-fact tone after they had done their usual greeting.

A smile quickly spread over Marc’s face and he moved from where he had been lying stomach down on the bed to his back. “Oh yeah? And what did he have to say?”

A chuckle. “I think he was still drunk from the wedding… He basically gave out to me for fifteen minutes straight for not telling him that I had a boyfriend or that it was you. That was even before he got onto the fact that we are having a baby. It was a little bit scary… But- to cut a very long story short- he’s really happy for us. And he’s already put his spoke in for godfather.”

 _This just keeps getting better and better. People have really surprised me so far._ The pregnant rider arched an eyebrow, playing absentmindedly with the hem of his t-shirt. “And what did you say to that?”

“That we’ll take him into consideration but not to get his hopes up because I’m pretty sure the job is going to someone else.”

 _Wait, what?_ “It is?”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. “Yeah… I thought it pretty much went without saying that Alex would be godfather.”

The frown suddenly disappeared from Marc’s face, only to be replaced by a massive grin. “Really? We haven’t exactly talked about it…” _But it is an absolutely excellent idea._

“That’s because I thought it was obvious! Alex deserves to be godfather. He’s been there with you from the start. I’m pretty sure that both of us would have been lost without him. He’s the perfect choice as far as I’m concerned but if you want to consider someone else…”

“No! No… that’s great. If I think he’s the right person for the job and you do too, then we’ll choose Alex. He’s going to be so happy! Do you think we should tell him next week or should we wait a bit longer?” Marc’s cheeks began to ache slightly from smiling so much. It made him so unbelievably happy that Dani immediately thought that Alex would be the godfather of their child. He couldn’t wait to see the look on his brother’s face…

“It’s up to you but I think we should wait a bit longer. It’s just three and a half months seems a bit early for that… Plus, it might be a good idea to let Eric think he’s in with a fighting chance. It might encourage him to be extra nice to us…”

The pregnant rider shook his head in amused disbelief. _I didn’t know you had it in you._ “Dani Pedrosa! I’m shocked! Tricking your brother into thinking that he might be godfather just so it will be more advantageous for you,” he said playfully, tutting for good measure.

The sound of the older rider’s laugh made Marc smile even more. “I put up with him for all these years! It will be a welcome change for him to actually be nice to me for once.”

“You’re just looking for sympathy now. He couldn’t have been that bad.”

“Oh, he was, trust me. You’ve never lived with him. Anything going on there? How are your parents?”

 _They’re good but I don’t know how much longer that will last…_ “Fine. They’re both really happy that everything went okay with your parents. My mother is already planning to have them over for dinner so we can be like one big happy family,” he informed the other man with a wry smile even though Dani couldn’t see it. “I’ve decided to tell them about moving in with you. That’s bound to go down like a tonne of bricks…”

“Ah. That’s going to be fun…”

 _My sentiments exactly._ Marc wearily rubbed his face, now feeling a bit deflated. It was the funny how he could go from being so happy to so worried in the space of less than a minute. “Yeah… I’m not exactly looking forward to it but the season ends next week and I really can’t put it off any more.” It wasn’t as if they could keep him there; he was an adult. But that didn’t mean that it wasn’t going to affect him if his moving to another country upset them.

It was a massive step, that was for sure but it seemed necessary. And other any other circumstances it would have probably frightened him to death but now it just felt like the next step. He and Dani were fully committed to each other, they were going to have a baby, and moving in together seemed like the logical and best thing to do. Plus, Marc really couldn’t wait to spend every day with his boyfriend.

“It’s going to be hard but it is a good idea to get it over with and give them a little bit of time to get used to the idea before you go. But are you sure that you want to do it alone? You can wait until I get back from Japan if you would like?”

 _Sounds tempting but I really can’t let it go on that long._ Marc rested his hand over his little bump, its mere presence calmly him slightly. “No, I think it’s best if I just do it by myself. It’s just going to be the three of us here all week- well, until I go to Italy- and that seems like the best time to do it.”

“Okay,” Dani replied, sounding reluctant, “But if you need anything I’m here, alright?”

_I know you are._

*

“You can’t just _move_ to _Switzerland_! That’s crazy!”

Marc sat up straighter in his chair. _‘You’ and ‘can’t’ are really not words you should use in a conversation with a son over the age of eighteen…_ “We both think it’s best that we move in together. We’re having a baby in a couple of months and it’s really not practical to keep flying between Geneva and Barcelona. And if you’re worried that we’re rushing into this, don’t be because this is something that we’ve really thought about. We love each other, you know that, and we think this is the right step for us.”

“Marc,” Roser looked at him with wide imploring eyes that made him want to take back everything he said, “There’s no problem with you moving in with Dani but Geneva is so far away. That’s pretty big for your first time living away from home. Why don’t you two leave Switzerland and come to live in Barcelona? Surely that would be more convenient. You’re going to be new parents with extremely busy schedules and everything could get very overwhelming very quickly. You won’t have any family nearby to help you out!”

Julia nodded. “Your mother is right, Marc. You know we are completely supportive of your relationship with Dani but this might be a bit too much. You could be a bit too isolated. You don’t know what it’s like dealing with a newborn baby…”

The pregnant rider felt himself getting more and more annoyed. And it wasn’t because his completely disagreed with what his parents were saying, it was because he could clearly see the truth in it. But he wanted to live in Geneva with Dani more than anything; have their own little space away from everyone, lead their own lives for once… And maybe if they weren’t expecting a baby that wouldn’t even be a problem. But they were.

 _But this is what I’ve been looking forward to for the past three weeks! It can’t be as simple as that._ “I understand what you’re saying but we have already made a decision- _I_ have made a decision. I’m moving to Geneva with my baby and Dani. I’m sorry if it upsets you but this is what I need to do.”

*

“How did it go?”

Marc threw himself down on his bed with a huff, head still reeling from the wonderful conversation he had just had with his parents. “ _Fantastic._ It went about as well as I had expected…”

The groan was clearly audible on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry. What did they say? Did they get mad?”

 _I fucking wish._ It would have been so much easier for him if his parents had just completely lost it and tried to stop him from going for no reason other than the fact that they would miss him. But they didn’t and it was completely infuriating. Especially when they brought up the fact that at the start of next season he would be left alone with the baby only a week or two after giving birth while Dani competed in the first few races of the season. “They said a lot of things… and no, they didn’t get mad but they weren’t exactly enthusiastic about it either…”

“Do you think that they’ll come round?”

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in agitation. “I have no idea. Can I just fast forward two weeks?” Marc instantly felt guilty after saying that. He knew that Dani would undoubtedly be beating himself up as they spoke and that was not what he wanted at all.

“I wish I could be there with you. It’s not fair that you have to deal with this all on your own.”

 _There it is. The evident anguish in your voice._ With another sigh, Marc shook his head to himself. “I don’t think there’s much you could do anyway. I think it’s just going to take a bit of time.” Something _is going to take a bit of time…_ Before the older man could say anything, his boyfriend spoke again. “I’m sorry, I feel exhausted after the whole thing… can I call you tomorrow?”

When he got a disappointed but positive reply, Marc never felt so awful in his life.

*

_Knock, knock, knock._

Marc decided he wasn’t going to hear someone at his bedroom door in the hope that whoever it was would assume he was sleeping or something and go away again. _No such luck._ The door creaked open slowly at first but quickly once the person there saw that the lights were still on. Marc tried not to grimace when he saw his mother standing there, looking sheepish but determined at the same time.

“Can I come in?” Roser asked, her voice a lot softer now than it was during their little debate earlier on.

He groaned internally, really wanting to say no but somehow finding himself unable to do so. With a little shrug on his part, she closed the door and came to sit on the edge of his bed.

Roser hesitated for a moment, contemplating what he was going to say, before she smiled sadly and brushed her finger tips gently over her son’s cheek. “I’m sorry if you thought we were being unreasonable.” A shiver ran down her spine as Marc’s hands moved to cradle his stomach and he looked up at her with big brown eyes so full of innocence that it made her want to cry. _Maybe if the circumstances were different Dani_ would _be too old for you._

 _I’m weak right now and you’re going to use that weakness to get to me._ His deduction wasn’t in the least bit spiteful, it just was what it was. As much as he loved his mother, Marc couldn’t afford to have any more doubt. He gave another weak shrug. “You and dad are entitled to your opinion. But it doesn’t change anything, I’m sorry.”

She was a bit shocked that he was still so set in his ways about the whole thing. _But that’s okay because I’ve got a good poker face._ “What happens if you want to get married?”

That caught Marc’s attention right away. His eyes narrowed suspiciously and he frowned. “What?”

 _There you go, that’s what I need._ “I looked it up; same sex marriage isn’t legal in Switzerland. It’s legal in Spain.”

_It’s legal in Spain._


	32. C'est un SOS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this isn't actually the chapter that I had alluded to before... (mix up in chapter numbering, oops!) but I still think you're going to like this one anyway? Maybe? Hopefully! ♥

The mood in the Marquez household changed after that night. Marc, having thought long and hard about the whole thing, came to his own conclusions and decisions. The communication between the three was repaired but the tense undertones remained. Because as far as they knew, their son had taken their opinions on board but it still hadn’t made a difference.

But it had, even if Marc didn’t let it show. He still wanted to move in with Dani more than ever but it had become very apparent to him that there were a lot of things that they hadn’t talked about. All their discussions about Geneva revolved around their love for each other and how they could spend every day together rather than the practicality and consequences of it all. He was on board with the whole thing, it’s just he knew that he and Dani would have to sit down sometime soon and have a serious conversation about it all and what it meant for them.

Marc headed off for Italy as planned on Friday morning. When the time came around, he was actually quite happy to have the distraction. Of course, he would rather have been in Japan spending time with Dani and cheering him on but appearances in a different country certainly made for a better alternative to staying at home with just his mother all weekend.

Not only that, but he would also spend the rest of the weekend in Geneva waiting for Dani’s return on Monday so they could have a few peaceful days before they set off for Valencia together.

_And then things are going to get interesting._

*

“Save me.”

Alex chuckled at the dramatics of his brother’s plea. “What do you need saving from?”

“Evvverythingg… but mainly these interviews I’m doing. If I have to answer one more question about when I’ll be fit again I think I’m going to scream!”

 _You say that as if it’s the first time this has ever happened to you._ “It’s only a couple of interviews… They must be nearly over by now,” the Moto3 rider made his way out the back of the garage so that he could talk to his brother freely.

“I know but it would be a lot less annoying if, you know, _there was actually something wrong with me…_ ”

Alex shook his head and chuckled at his brother’s hushed tone and leaned up against the wall. “Yeah well you won’t have to for too much longer. Next week is the last race of the season.”

“You don’t have to remind me! I can’t wait. Holiday time!”

“You’re already on holidays! The rest of us have to work.”

Marc scoffed. “Yeah because being by myself the whole time is really classed as a holiday. And work? What are you talking about? I would ride all day if I could.”

The youngest Marquez couldn’t stop the blush that quickly crept across his cheeks and bit his lip. “I’m sure you would.” _Is that too much?_

“HA HA HA _HA._ Have you ever thought about becoming a comedian?”

Once again he chuckled but this time felt a little pang at how much he missed having his brother around. “All the time but I think I’m just so funny that a lot of people don’t understand.”

“Yeah, I can see that. How did you get on?”

“Good. P4 combined times. We’re hoping for a front row tomorrow…”

“That’s great. I’m going to leave for Geneva early tomorrow morning so I might miss the last two practices but I’ll definitely be watching quali.”

 _From the way you were talking I thought you would get out of Italy as quickly as humanly possible._ “Oh, so you’re staying in Milan tonight?” Alex could honestly say that he felt pity for his brother. Of course what he was doing was beyond amazing but he couldn’t even begin to imagine how lonely it got for him.

“Yeah. I was going to rent a car and drive up there but I then realised that I would have to get the car back to Italy before Valencia and that’s just too much hassle. So instead I’m flying and _then_ renting a car.”

The younger of the two frowned. _And you’re still going to be by yourself for two days._ “What are you going to do in Switzerland?

The laugh was clearly audible down the line. “Nothing preferably. Well, a lot of my weekend will be taken up by yours and Dani’s racing anyway so I don’t know. I might do some shopping or something. I’m looking forward to having a bit of me time.”

“All you’ve had is ‘me time’ for the past month!”

“ _Me time_ with your parents does not count… Oh, got to go. Apparently my break is over. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sure. Just grin and bear it and have a safe flight.”

“ _You_ ride safely. Remember what I said before? If you die I’m going to resurrect you and kill you again myself!”

Alex couldn’t help but chuckle at his older brother’s very dramatic way of telling him that he loved him. _Wait until the pregnancy hormones_ really _start kicking in and then we’ll see dramatic. I kind of feel sorry for Dani. Poor rational Dani…_ “I remember. And I will. Talk to you tomorrow.”

*

“So how did the meeting of the parents go?” Vale asked as he lay back on Dani’s bed, stretching his arms behind his head.

“Good…” the younger man replied as he hastily buttoned up his shirt. They had made plans to go for dinner together in a restaurant a couple of minutes away from the hotel that they really liked and Dani was running late, having been pulled into an unexpected interview. Fortunately, Valentino Rossi was one of the most laid back people ever when it came to things like that so he didn’t mind waiting a couple of minutes. “Actually, no. Great. Everything went as well as I could have hoped for. My mother loves Marc and my father really likes him too. I’m just going to brush my teeth, be back in a minute…”

Valentino wanted to ask why he was brushing his teeth before dinner but quickly decided it was none of his business. _If the man likes to maintain good oral hygiene then who am I to judge him?_ He hummed to himself as his he looked around the room to pass the time. Until Dani’s phone beeped on the bed next to him. “You got a message!” the Italian called a little too loudly.

“Who’s it from?” Dani’s voice, muffled by toothbrush and foam called back at a more reasonable volume.

A quick glance at the device confirmed what the Yamaha rider had pretty much been expecting. His face broke into a grin. “Loverboy.”

“Open it for me and tell me what he said.”

Vale was surprised that the younger man trusted him so much. Although, to be frank, he had already made all the jokes and innuendos humanly possible about their sex life so it couldn’t get much worse than that. So he casually clicked the open button before freezing completely. _Uh oh… It’s a picture message…_ Valentino frowned when he saw that it was not sexual. It was just Marc standing sidelong in front of his mirror with his top off. The most surprising thing out of all was the fact that he had seemingly gained quite a bit of weight. But he could hardly judge him for that with the injury the youngest Honda rider had sustained.

_Oh, there’s a message too._

Vale opened his mouth to speak but reading the sentence below the image made him stop,

‘We miss you!’

Completely and utterly confused, the Italian frowned, eyes reading the text again. _‘We miss you’… Who’s the we? There’s no-one in the picture except for Marc… Who else would miss Dani?_ It took a moment for him to remember that the statement was in relation to the picture and his eyes moved to that once again. Still Marc, in a bathroom, standing in front of the mirror, phone held up in one hand, a massive smile on his face, his top off…

 _Top off. That seems like a crucial factor… Wait! Why am I trying to figure out what this all means? Dani just asked me to read it out. Because he thought it was a_ text _message. Not a picture message…_

But he couldn’t let it go. Because he was far too intrigued for that. Something just didn’t seem right. _Why would Marc take a picture of himself shirtless if he knows he has gained weight?_

_Weight._

Vale didn’t know why but his eyes immediately flew to Marc’s midriff and he felt his stomach and jaw simultaneously drop. _No… surely… But_ we _…_

He was pulled from his reverie by Dani re-entering the bedroom. “What did he say?” the Spaniard asked again before stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of the completely unreadable expression on his friend and rival’s face. _Why do you look like that? What’s wrong?_ Fearing that it was something really bad, Dani swallowed hard. “What’s wrong?”

Vale looked up at him with wide blue eyes that seemed to convey a mixture of amazement and complete disbelief. Almost robotically, he turned the phone towards the HRC rider and watched as his face turned to stone, more or less confirming Valentino’s suspicions.

_Marc is pregnant._

“He was never injured, was he?”

*

@marcmarquez93: @rickycardus88 Hope you’re okay after the crash today… #onlyjoking #jointheclub #please #lonely

@rickycardus88: Sorry to disappoint! But don’t worry dear, I’ll be home soon! #bestboyfriendever #stillcantbelieveit #datingmarcmarquez #bejealous

@marcmarquez93: I can’t wait ;) #bestcoupleever #loveyou #kisses #Motolove

@lorenzo99: @marcmarquez93 @rickycardus88 Can you two please stop it already #sofunny #not

@marcmarquez93: @lorenzo99 He’s still just jealous, isn’t he @rickycardus88? #demonchildstoleyourbestfriend #karma 

*

Dani stares at his fellow rider in a mixture of disbelief and guilt, lips parted as he tried to figure out what exactly he should say. He and Marc had never discussed any such situation and he doesn’t know if it would be wrong of him to tell Valentino of Marc’s condition without even consulting him first. But, obviously, this wasn’t something that would just go away. Even if he denied everything, there would still be a baby at the end of it all…

“No, he wasn’t.”

And with that Vale released the breath that he didn’t even know he had been holding with a ‘whoosh’. He was pretty sure that his mind had completely shut down because all he could think was ‘Marc’ and ‘pregnant’. The two of them stare at each other for what seems like forever, neither knowing what to say until Valentino looks at the picture once again. This time things became abundantly clear and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed it the first time.

Jutting out between Marc’s hips was an already formed baby bump. It was a small baby bump but a baby bump nonetheless. And Dani was the reason for that. _You fucking knocked up the demon child. I have to say, Pedrosa, if I wasn’t so shocked I would be impressed._ Vale shook his head to himself, another feeling completely taking over. “I can’t believe you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”

 _You just accidentally found out that_ my _boyfriend is having a baby and you want to make this about the fact that I didn’t tell_ you _?_ “This isn’t about you and it’s not a matter of trust,” Dani tried to explain as calmly as he could, “This is about me and Marc and we decided not to tell anybody. The only ones that know about the baby are Marc’s family and mine and mine only found out this weekend so excuse me for not telling you.”

Vale cringed, realising what he said had been stupid. Sure, he and Dani were best friends but this was so much more than just him being with Marc. There was a lot more at risk. Placing the phone down on the bed again, the Italian nodded. “I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s just a shock, you know?”

The HRC rider paused for a moment before sighing and sitting down on the bed next to his friend. “I know about shock. And I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I would have told you, I promise. I would have just waited a couple of weeks until the season was over and everything was less complicated…”

“It’s okay, I understand. How far along is he?” _Is this actually happening? Are we actually talking about Marc Marquez and his baby?_

“Four months next week.”

Valentino frowned in concentration for a moment, counting back in his head. _One, two, three, four…_ “Oh, conceived in Indy?” the older rider concluded with a smirk, wagging an eyebrow at his friend.

Dani rolled his eyes. _Of all the things you could have thought about, that was it._ “Yeah, in and around then,” he replied with a bemused expression on his face.

“Well, congratulations then. How are you feeling about all of this? It must have come as a shock to you-  especially the boy-wonder.”

“We’re happy,” the younger rider replied and Vale could see the affection in his eyes, “It was a shock at first but we’ve gotten used to it now and we’re excited. Marc has been amazing. It’s been hard for him having to take a step back and he’s had his ups and downs but he’s pretty much taken it all in his stride.”

 _I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like; giving up riding (at least for a little while) and a possible championship win… But it is kind of amazing, what he’s doing._ Still unable to believe it, Vale shook his head. “And Honda know about this?”

The Spaniard gave a brief nod. “They know and they’ve been really good about it. With another team it might have been different… but then again, he’s Marc Marquez, isn’t he? The rookie that could have won a championship in his rookie season. He’s not dispensable like other riders. If Honda let him go every other team would be looking to get him.”

 _I guess you’re right. He’s not just another rider._ “How about we continue this conversation when we get to the restaurant? Because we’re really running late and I’m starving,” the Italian said with a wry smile and got up off the bed, offering his friend a hand and silently letting him know that nothing has changed.

_I’m still right here._


	33. Turning Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the response to the last chapter! #eternallygrateful #Ireallyneedtostopthis... ♥

“I would like to propose my candidacy for the position of godfather.”

Dani rolled his eyes and took a sip of wine. _Are we seriously going to go through all of this again and again as people find out?_ “I’m sorry but the position has already been filled.”

Valentino pouted, eyes large and dark from the mixture of alcohol and the dim light of the restaurant. “So I can’t be best man and I can’t be godfather to your bambino… what can I be then?”

“You can keep your position as best friend?”

The Italian huffed and downed what was left of the pinot noir in his glass. Smacking his lips with an ‘ah’. “So I have to wait until Marc pops out another or you get married again?”

 _Sometimes I really do wonder why we’re even friends._ “Yeah,” he replied shooting the older rider one of his famous ‘Dani Pedrosa’ looks. “Whichever comes first, right?”

Vale grinned and topped up his glass. “Of course.”

Dani shook his head and chuckled to himself, opening his mouth to come back with another smart remark but closed it again when the screen of his phone illuminated on the table next to his glass. Marc. _Fuck, I never texted him back…_

“Is it okay if I take this? He’s going to get worried…”

“Oh yeah,” the Yamaha rider said with a haphazard wave of his hand, “go ahead. Tell him I say hi. I’ll order desert for us while you’re gone.”

The younger man shot him a gratuitous smile and rose from his seat, looking around for somewhere to take the call. _Smoking area._ Pressing the answer button, he placed the phone to his ear and headed for the far the far side of the room. “Hi, one minute.”

“Hi, okay.”

Dani opened the door and stepped outside, making sure it was empty before closing it behind him again. A smile crept over his face. “Okay, I can talk now. Sorry, I was just having dinner with Valentino and I needed to find somewhere private to talk. But I’m all yours now.”

“Good. Did you get my text?”

 _Oh yes, I got the text._ The older rider frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, about that… I got it. But before I tell you the next bit I need you to promise you won’t freak out…” Dani instantly felt bad. He just knew that Marc was having a heart attack somewhere in Milan right then.

Silence. “Oh god… fine, I promise I won’t freak out?”

 _You’re so going to freak out about this._ “Valentino saw it before me.” Just like a band aid. Rip it off and wait for the explosion.

More silence.

Dani frowned. “Marc? Are you-“

“ _DANI!_ ”

The squeal was so loud and high-pitched that he had to remove the phone from his ear and rub it, trying to soothe the piercing shot of pain. _Yeah, that’s the explosion._ “It was a big mistake! I was running late for dinner and he was waiting while I brushed my teeth and your text came through. I asked him who it was and then told him to open it. In my defence, I didn’t know it would be a picture! I thought it would just be a generic text!”

“Ugh! Great and you told him I was pregnant?”

Dani’s eyes widened in disbelief as he sat down on iron cast chair that was still wet from the earlier rainfall, dampening his pants slightly. “He has eyes! He figured it out himself! He didn’t exactly need me to spell it out for him… But like I said, there is no need to freak out. We talked about it and he’s happy for us. We don’t have to worry about him telling anyone or anything like that, you know that. He’s my best friend.”

There was another moment of silence on the other end of the line before Dani heard a weary sigh. “Okay. Once again, I trust your judgement about him. And I’m sorry I shouted at you. It’s just a shock, you know? First it was just my family and then it was your family and now it’s Valentino Rossi… You know I don’t like when things are out of my control.”

 _Yes, I do. Very well…_ “Don’t apologise. I should have been more careful. But it happened and there’s nothing we can do about it. But we can trust him. Nothing is going to change, I promise.”

“I guess you’re right. And I know it’s crazy but I am a little relieved that he doesn’t think that I just got fat.”

Dani’s eyes crinkled in warm affection and he chuckled, amazed at the way that his boyfriend always seemed to be able to say something at the end of a serious discussion that would diffuse the tension. “Yeah well he definitely doesn’t think that. He also volunteered himself for the role of godfather…”

“ _Another_ one? I didn’t know it was such a coveted position!”

“We’re going to have to keep having children for the rest of our lives to meet the demand of those wanting to be godfather to our children,” he replied playfully but there was an edge of curiosity to his voice. The older rider wanted to test how Marc would react to such a thing. _Because I don’t know how many you want…_

His boyfriend scoffed. “If that’s the case then you can be the one carrying them!”

Dani couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You better before you go making any promises. Are you still in the restaurant?”

“Yeah, I’m out in the smoking area. Vale’s just ordered dessert.”

“ _You_ better not be smoking!”

 _Don’t worry, mom._ “I’m not, I promise.”

“Good. Now get back to him and tell him I said hi. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“Yes. I will. Night babe, I love you,” Dani said and meant it completely. His love for his boyfriend got stronger every time they were apart. Thank god the season was coming to an end because he missed Marc too much.

“Well it’s only afternoon here but I appreciate the sentiment. Night to you, too. And I love you as well.”

Dani chuckled and said one last goodbye before hanging up the phone. He smiled to himself and shook his head before pocketing his phone and heading inside once again. A wall of heat instantly hit him and he shivered, not realising just how cold it had been outside. He had to roll his eyes when he neared the table and saw something new perched innocently on it: a bottle of champagne.

“You do know we actually have to get on our bikes tomorrow? Has a MotoGP rider ever been breathalysed before?”

Valentino shrugged and got to work on popping the cork, the bang warranting a few curious glances from other patrons. _They probably think it’s our anniversary or something…_ “Who cares? We’re celebrating! And I’ve drank much more than this before and still got on the bike the next day so we should be fine. Now drink up,” he ordered the younger man after quickly filling his flute.

Dani waited until his friend’s was full too and raised his glass. Vale followed suit, glad that his fellow rider was at least being enthusiastic about it.

“To the soon to be new addition to the Pedrosa-Marquez dynamic. Let’s hope he or she is as talented as their parents!”

They clinked their glasses together before getting to the good part: the drinking. Dani sipped his while Vale downed the contents of his. “You shouldn’t be wishing that they’re talented! Too much competition!”

The Italian arched an eyebrow. “From a baby? I will be retired a long time before your bambino ever starts riding.”

Dani bit back with a very playful ‘I wouldn’t be so sure’ which provoked Vale to throw the physalis from the top of his cheese cake at him. The younger rider managed to catch it and popped it in his mouth.

“My favourite.”

*

“You have to win this one.”

Alberto took Dani aside in the garage before everyone started lining up on the grid. The Honda rider, who was already in a state of total concentration nodded intently. “Seriously, Dani. You’ll get no better chance. Pole position… everything is lined up. You need to keep Lorenzo at bay. If you do, the championship is as good as yours but if you don’t… Valencia is going to be a lot harder.”

Dani nodded again and swallowed hard. All that was at stake was weighing heavy on his mind. Alberto was right, there would never be a better chance. The championship was so close that he could almost taste the champagne but it could also be gone in the blink of an eye if he wasn’t careful. “I’m going to win. I have to win.”

His manager smiled and clapped him on the back. “You’re finally going to get it, Dani. What you’ve deserved from the very beginning. Enjoy it.”

_I plan to._

It started to rain. Just as everyone was getting their bikes set up out on the track. Little harmless droplets at first but then not so much. Dani could feel every drop as they fell on his leathers, the sensation causing a shiver to run down his spine. _This is not good._ Because on his bike were two slick tyres that really wouldn’t be ideal if the water began to collect on the track. Which put him in a very awkward position because, if that was the case, he had to choose between starting from the pitlane and doing a lap or two and then switch the bike. And to be perfectly honest, neither of those options was in any way appealing…

“What do you want to do, Dani?” Mike asked from beside him, pulling him from his reverie.

 _That is the million euro question. There’s never been this much at stake. I need to win the championship. For me and for Marc._ He glanced around briefly, checking up on Jorge and Valentino who also occupied the front row. Valentino was conversing quickly with his mechanic and Dani was more or less certain that he was going to go with the pitlane option, because he could easily make his way through the traffic and back to the top where he belonged.

And then there was Jorge. Who hadn’t moved an inch.

_So that’s it, I’m staying on the slicks._

The decision was easy. Of course Dani could also make his way through the traffic but that was absolutely no use when the only person he was really racing was off in the distance. _I have to do everything in my power to fight him._

“I’m staying on slicks. For the moment anyway.”

Mike frowned although he had been expecting such a reply. “Are you sure? It’s starting to look pretty bad out there…”

In a way that almost perfectly illustrated his mechanic’s point, Dani wiped some of the raindrops from his face. “I’m sure. It has to be this way.” For a moment he felt guilty but that was only because Marc was sat at home watching him, probably already out of his mind with worry. But that only made him more determined.

“Okay then. We’re going out on slicks.”

The race started right on time. Dani was certainly glad of the formation lap so that he could gage exactly what the track conditions were like and whether or not he would actually need to change the bike at some point in the race. It looked like he would. But all that mattered was the start. He had to start well and then, hopefully, everything would fall into place.

And the start did go well. Dani managed to retain his position into the first turn, narrowly getting ahead of Jorge who was hot on his tails.

But the second turn was a different story.

They were close- probably too close to be considered safe- but Dani was still ahead. It wasn’t until the Yamaha rider got right up beside him that he started to panic a bit, experience not in his favour. And then suddenly his front tyre hit a small puddle in just the wrong way and his bike slid sending him out onto the gravel in almost slow motion.

Dani felt the feeling of dread quickly flood his stomach as he let go of his bike. _Fuck. That’s it. I’ve done it again. The championship is gone._

It wasn’t until he got up, feeling completely fine bar the crushing disappointment and mortification, that he realised that he had taken Jorge with him.

The Honda rider’s eyes widened immediately and he was suddenly thrown back into the race mentality once again. _If my bike is still okay, I can get something out of this…_ His fellow Spaniard’s eyes locked with his and suddenly they were both running for their bike, desperately trying to get back on track ahead of the other.

It took a go or two but Dani eventually got his in working order and he wasted no time. _I can still do this._

*

To say everyone in the Repsol garage was a nervous wreck after that crash was an understatement. Livio, who had thought their championship was gone the minute Dani’s bike slid, watched his rider get back up and back on track in quiet awe. _He wants this so badly._

All they could do was look on as both Dani and Jorge tried to claw back some of the many positions that they had lost, their hopes increasing with every pass from their rider. But while hope was increasing, there was also a great sense of worry. A worry for what certain results would mean…

In the end, the worry seemed to win out.

Dani fought valiantly but it wasn’t enough. The race was over.

They all crossed the finish line. Dani seventh, Jorge eight, Valentino first.

Livio let out the deep breath that he was sure he had been holding for the better part of ten minutes and wearily rubbed his face. As far as all the camera crew knew, it was for Dani. But it wasn’t. Because it wasn’t Dani he was worried about.

“You know what this means…” Emilio said emotionlessly from beside the team principal.

“Yes. _Fuck._ I was afraid of this. I have to call him, don’t I?”

“Yes. Before he calls you.”


	34. Is there something I should know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the response to the last chapter! You are all truly amazing ♥  
> Last week wasn't a good week for writing so (for the first time since I posted the first chapter) I'm only one chapter ahead... eeek! So I'll try my very best to get the store up again but if an update day comes and goes without a chapter you'll know what happened!

“Dani-“

The Honda rider ripped off his helmet in more than a bit of a rage. Different scenarios were running on loop in his head. _What if I had started from the pitlane? What if I had just conceded that place for a moment? What if I had been more careful?_ “Don’t, Alberto. Don’t worry, I am fully aware of how royally I have just fucked up. There’s no need to remind me.” He looked around the garage, seeing quite a few meek faces but only really noticing the absence of big names. “Where’s Livio?” _I thought he’d be waiting to kick my ass._

His manager’s jaw tensed visibly. “He’s in an emergency meeting…” _I really don’t want to tell you this bit but you’re going to find out anyway…_ “With Nakamoto and Julia Marquez.”

Dani almost dropped his helmet, feeling all the blood drain from his face. _An emergency meeting? With Julia?_ He felt like he was going to be sick. “What’s going on? Is something wrong with Marc? Is-“

“There’s nothing wrong with him, Dani,” Alberto replied slowly, a guarded expression on his face. “You didn’t know, did you?”

He felt himself getting really pissed off at this stage. _Just tell me what the hell is going on! I’m going out of my mind here and you’re being all cryptic._ “Didn’t know what? God, Alberto, just tell me!”

The older man paused for a minute before reluctantly nodding. “You and Jorge finished seventh and eight… Technically, Marc can still win the championship. He would just have to finish sixth or higher in Valencia.”

And suddenly it all made sense to him. Dani’s fists clenched tightly, and not because there was a chance he wouldn’t win the championship… “They’re giving him the chance to race in Valencia?”

Alberto’s mouth opened but his rider didn’t give him a chance to answer. Dani thrust his helmet into the older man’s unsuspecting hands before stalking away towards the meeting room at the back of the garage, pulling the door open in something along the lines of rage despite the protestations of certain Repsol workers.

Immediately, all three sets of eyes at the table turned to him, faces a mixture of shock and worry.

“So let’s talk about this.”

*

“I’m sorry, Dani, but this isn’t up to you. It’s not your decision to make,” Livio informed his rider after nearly forty five minutes of heated debating. They were still no closer to resolving the matter than they were the minute Dani stepped inside the room.

The youngest of the three placed his hands very firmly on the table. “He’s _my_ boyfriend and that’s _my_ baby he’s carrying so I think I am perfectly entitled to at least have an opinion of this. It’s _too_ dangerous! I’m telling you that right now.”

“Marc might think so too,” Julia informed him, “None of us are forcing him to get back on that bike. Do think I want him to? Do you think I want to see him get hurt? Do you think Roser does? No. But we’ve always supported him in anything he wanted to do- which you already know well- and I respect that it’s his decision to make.”

Livio nodded his agreement to that and gave a little ‘what more can I say?’ gesture before folding his arms silently across his chest.

Fully aware that it was pointless to even try to argue even more, Dani gave up, leaving the room with nothing more than an annoyed huff and a slammed door. Once the rider was out of sight, the team principal’s shoulders loosened and he rubbed his face with a sigh. _The hardest part isn’t even over yet._ “He _really_ loves your son, doesn’t he?”

 _That is something I’ve long accepted by now._ With a small chuckle, Julia replied “Yes, he does.” _He would do anything for him._

*

“Marc-“

“Livio! What the hell is going on?!” the pregnant rider demanded as he continued to pace the floor of Dani’s living area. The hardwood floors were probably already wearing away at this stage. Marc was going completely out of his mind. The race had been a disaster of epic proportions and that was fine, it happens, but it was what happened after that really had him going crazy. He rang Dani, no answer. He rang Alex, no answer. He rang his father, no answer. He rang Livio, no answer. The same went for Emilio and Santi. The only person who _did_ pick up the phone was his mother and that was in no way helpful to him because she was in Barcelona _and_ hadn’t heard anything.

So he was well and truly freaking out by the time his team principal decided to grace him with a phone call. Because Dani had crashed. And even though he had carried on and finished the race, Marc still worried that something was wrong.

“Calm down, okay? Don’t get so stressed. I’m sorry we’ve all been incommunicado for the past hour but there were important things we needed to discuss.”

 _Please don’t tell me you were too hard on him… It was a mistake that could have happened to anyone._ “Just tell me, is Dani okay? He’s not hurt, is he?”

“No, Dani’s fine. It’s you we’re worrying about at the moment, to be honest...”

Marc frowned. _What? Me? That makes no-_

_Oh._

His heart started to beat a little faster as he thought back on some of the things he’d heard from the commentators during and after the race. _You can’t be serious. You can’t be trying to tell me what I think you are…_ “Neither Dani nor Jorge got enough points from the race…”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. “Exactly. Which means if you decided to race in Valencia, you would only need to place sixth or higher to take the championship. I’m obligated to inform you of that. Now, before you say anything, you need to remember that it is risky. You have to make sure whatever decision you make is right for you and not just driven by your lust for a championship."

Seemingly without his permission, Marc’s body sank down onto Dani’s couch and he could do little more that blink and breathe for a moment as everything ran through his head. _I can still win the championship…_ That was the dominant thought for quite a while. That was, of course, until an equally dominant one fought back.

_But I have so much to lose._

Ideally, it should have been a no-brainer. ‘Your family is much more important that any trophy’… But this wasn’t ideal, it was _real._ And the reality of the situation is that Marc Marquez wanted to win a MotoGP world championship from the moment he learned what the word meant. _It’s not that easy…_

With a sigh, the young rider threw his head back on a pillow. “You’ve spoken to Dani about it?”

“I have.”

“And my father?”

“Yes.”

 _I can only imagine what_ that _was like._ “And what did they have to say?

There was another brief pause on Livio’s end. “I think you should really talk to them about that. But I can tell you that one was more open-minded than the other…”

A small smile formed on his lips and he chuckled softly. _I can only imagine which one…_ “Right, I got it.” _So much for my nice peaceful couple of days of constant sex with my boyfriend before Valencia…_

“We’ll probably need a decision by Tuesday afternoon at the latest…”

“I understand,” Marc replied almost robotically. It was so crazy that one puddle in the second corner could create all this drama. Here he had completely accepted the fact that he wouldn’t take part in another race this season and that Dani would go on to win the championship but now he was being given the chance of doing both. _And it is so tempting…_

But then he glanced down at the little bump between his hips that was getting bigger day by day now it seemed and he wasn’t so sure.

*

Dani got out of Japan that night. He was supposed to leave early the next morning but that wasn’t an option now it seemed. He needed to get back to Marc as soon as possible so that they could a very long and probably painful discussion about the opportunity the pregnant rider had just been presented with. It meant that he had to opt out of some of his media obligations but he knew that Marc was much more important than some mundane interviews.

He was completely exhausted by the time he finally pulled up outside his front door in Geneva in the early hours of the morning. Dani had texted his boyfriend to tell him that he was on the first flight home but he was still surprised to find that there were quite a few lights on. It probably shouldn’t have surprised him that much. A bombshell had just been dropped on the younger man and now suddenly a prize that had seemed virtually unattainable was somehow in reach once again. And if that wasn’t enough to keep you up at night thinking…

After making his way inside, Dani locked the front door behind him and dropped his travel bag in the hall. He couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face when he took in the state of the place. It was just as tidy as it had been when he left it but there were little things left around that made it very Marc-esque; clothes, the odd mug here and there, an x-box controller…

Dani grabbed the two mugs on the way to the kitchen and deposited them in the dishwasher before grabbing himself a glass from the bottom press. He wasn’t exactly thirsty but filled it with water anyway just to give him some time to gather himself before going to face Marc. In the time it took him to get back from Japan, he knew he should have at least come up with a definitive stance on the whole thing so that he could argue his point with maximum success. But he didn’t because no matter what the facts seemed like on paper, this was real life.

This was Marc; the man he loved and would do absolutely anything for, the man who was carrying his baby... And that made things a whole lot more difficult. Because Marc had been disappointed and he had gotten over it but he wasn’t exactly one to let an opportunity pass him by twice. Especially not one as big as a MotoGP championship…

So Dani downed the glass of water and put it in the dishwasher before taking a deep breath and making his way up the stairs. Each step made his heart beat faster until he was sure that he was going to drop dead right there and then. And it was crazy because this was Marc- his soul mate, the man he was going to marry someday- and he really shouldn’t have been that nervous about having a conversation.

But it wasn’t just any conversation. It was one that could end in an argument or tears or both and Dani really wasn’t prepared for that. And he definitely wasn’t prepared for the way his boyfriend would inevitably look at him with wide brown eyes that seemed to melt his soul and make him just want to do anything he could to make Marc happy.

Far too soon, he stepped foot on the landing, pausing for a moment before inching ever closer to his- their- bedroom. The door was left ajar and the light was clearly on, streaming out on to the wooden floor in a beam. Taking a deep breath Dani pushed the door open, amazed by the way his heart and stomach always seemed to flutter at the sight of Marc.

And what a sight it was this time; Marc, leaning back against the headboard with his hands draped over his bump (that had grown quite a bit since Dani last saw him) tracing patterns absentmindedly over the covered skin with his long fingers. What struck the older man the most was the look of absolute concentration on his face. It took him a moment to notice Dani standing there but when he did that concentration in his eyes was replaced with complete and utter affection. “Hey.”

Dani couldn’t help but return the smile he was greeted with but it definitely wasn’t as unguarded as his boyfriend’s. He remained in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb. “Hey.”

Noticing how the older man hadn’t moved an inch, Marc took a deep breath, the look of concentration now back once again. “I guess there’s some things we need to talk about…”

“Yeah, there are.”


	35. Privately divided by a world so undecided

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you don't all hate this chapter! Because scanning through the comments on the last one again, it kinda goes in a different direction to what I'd say you were all expecting... But I'm trying to work on that with the upcoming chapters so bear with me! ♥  
> (And major brownie points if anyone can tell me what song the song title comes from ;))

“Vale-“

“Dani would you mind telling me what the hell is going on? I just-“

“I know. Sorry, things are a bit hectic around here at the moment. Can I call you back later?”

“Dani-“

Valentino sighed wearily when he heard the dial tone sound and looked at the screen of his phone to confirm what he already knew.

_Call ended._

*

 _In MotoGP news, Repsol Honda have just released a statement announcing that Marc Marquez_ will _be fit to compete in this weekend’s season finale in Valencia. The twenty one year old has missed the last three races due to an injury he sustained to his right arm but will reclaim his seat from interim driver, Adrián Gonzales, when he takes to the track again on Friday. This will surely be unwanted news for team-mate Dani Pedrosa and rival Jorge Lorenzo as, remarkably, Marquez is still in a position to clench the title if he finishes sixth or higher. It certainly is going to be a show-stopping race…_

*

“Do you think he’s really going to do it? Get back on that bike this weekend?”

Roser asked her husband as she continued to pace the kitchen while they waited for the phone call from Marc, informing them of his decision. She had already been on the phone to her eldest that morning, begging- _pleading_ \- for him not to do it. He had been much too diplomatic about the whole thing and his composure maddened his mother to no ends. Roser knew that she couldn’t fight with him if he didn’t get emotional. And he didn’t, just calmly telling her that he had to go because he was expecting a call from his doctor. That was it.

Julia observed his wife warily, eyebrows arched. _Do you really want me to answer that question?_ “The only thing we can do is let him make his own decisions. Just like we did when he wanted to start riding and just like we did when he told us about the baby. He’s not a child anymore, Rose. And if Dani can’t change his mind, then no-one can. Not even you.”

And that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. She broke down in tears and buried her face in her husband’s shoulders. Clinging to him in a way that she hadn’t in a long time. Julia felt completely helpless as he just held her, close to his body as physically possible, and softly soothed her. The truth was he knew very well how she felt. He was just as scared as she was but the difference was that Julia understood, he _really_ understood. And that was the only little bit of comfort he could take from it.

“I’m so scared,” Roser whispered when her sobs faltered slightly, “What if something happens to him? What if something happens to _them_?”

Julia didn’t respond. He couldn’t. Because he knew that the danger to their son and his unborn child was very real.

*

“Please don’t do this, Marc,” Dani begged as he stood in front of his boyfriend, laying all of his cards on the table.

Marc, who was never going to go down without a fight, arched an eyebrow defiantly. “What’s this about, Dani? Be straight with me. Is it because you’re worried about _me_ or is it because you’re worried about _you_?”

For the first time in what seemed like a long time, the older man was well and truly floored. His jaw fell agape and he stared at his boyfriend with complete incredulity. _You can’t be serious. Tell me you’re not serious…_ “How the hell can you even ask me that? For god’s sake Marc, don’t be such a child! You seriously think that I’m against that because I’m worried about my chances of winning a championship? Well guess what! I couldn’t give a fuck about that! Do you think a championship is going to mean anything to me if I lose you or the baby? Huh?” Also for the first time in what seemed like forever, Dani felt genuinely angry with his boyfriend. Because he would do absolutely  _anything_ for Marc but this was pushing him just a bit too far. And the worst part of it all was he felt completely powerless to stop him.

The younger man remained quiet for a moment, feeling quite ashamed of what he had just implied. He knew even before the question was asked that Dani would choose his family over a trophy any day. Even if it was _the_ trophy. _Please don’t hate me._ “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. You know I didn’t. I love you, Dani, and I love our baby too… I’m just so confused,” Marc admitted almost desperately and threw himself down on the bed once again.

Dani felt himself relax slightly at that, anger quickly dissipating and turning into exhaustion mixed with anxiety. He sat down on the bed next to his boyfriend and released a weary sigh. “I know. So where do we go from here?”

*

Ricky was sitting at the kitchen counter eating a bowl of _delicious_ cereal when the door slammed open and Jorge came storming in, waving some kind of flexible rectangle around in his arm as he muttered to himself. The younger of the two froze in shock, with his spoon centimetres away from his mouth, as his boyfriend threw what he now knew was the morning paper down in front of him.

“ _Read that!_ ”

Still totally confused as to what was going on Ricky took a look at the front page, not seeing anything that would really enrage the Yamaha rider like that.

Jorge rolled his eyes and grabbed the paper back, flipping it over so that it was now on the sports section. “Not that side! Look!”

It didn’t take the Moto2 rider long to figure out what he was talking about. Frankly, he couldn’t miss it. There on the page in big bold print was the headline ‘MARQUEZ BACK IN ACTION FOR SEASON FINALE’. And his first reaction was a lot different to that of his boyfriend. “Oh! Marc’s back. That’s good.”

Jorge gasped, eyes widening to a point that had Ricky worrying they were going to pop out, and looked at his boyfriend with a total lack of recognition. “ _Excuse me?!_ You’re _happy_ that _Marc Marquez_ is _back_?!”

Ricky bit his lip and smiled sheepishly, realising that that probably wasn’t the best thing to say. “I’m just happy that he’s not injured anymore, don’t worry! I’m still on your side.”

The MotoGP rider, rather dramatically and exasperatedly, threw himself down on the chair opposite his boyfriend. “I don’t fucking believe this! It’s just so typical! Not only do I have to deal with _Dani Pedrosa,_ I also have to deal with the fucking _demon child_ too! Only the true spawn of Satan would get injured and recover _just_ in time for the final race- when everyone had accepted it would be me or Dani- and have the chance to win the whole thing!!”

 _Glad to see you haven’t lost your flair for the dramatics…_ “Yes, but he’s also out of practice. And he probably still isn’t back to full health. You and Dani still have the advantage.”

“It doesn’t matter how out of practice he is! He only had to finish sixth! You’re forgetting that this is the guy who started from the very back of the grid and _won the fucking race_!”

“Well, you’re not the only one he’s competing against. Dani’s chances are hanging in the balance too and he’s never won a championship…”

Jorge sent his boyfriend a deathly look that made Ricky flinch and cower slightly. “Yeah but you see there’s a difference. Because Dani is so in love with Marc,” he said with a disgusted look on his face.

The younger man finally put down his spoon and pushed the bowl away from in front of him. It was going to be a very long week… “Do you really think that’s true? Do you think that Dani isn’t going to care if he loses the championship to Marc? I don’t think so. Sure, he’ll care a lot less than he would if he lost out to you but that’s only because he’ll be happy for his boyfriend. Don’t be under any illusions, Jorge, he still wants to win this. Because a championship is all he needs to complete everything.”

*

_Wow._

Marc stayed where he was, nestled between Dani’s legs and chest to chest with the older man, as he tried to catch his breath. Dani’s eyes still burned into his but fluttered closed every now and then as their heart rates began to slow. _Why have we been fighting since you got back and not doing this?_ He reached that little bit further and lazily kissed his boyfriend, before pulling out and rolling over once he had regained enough strength.

Dani pulled Marc close his side, nuzzling the younger man’s neck gratefully. Because no matter how many times they had had sex before, that was without a shadow of a doubt the best. And it was very much needed after the stress of the past two days. When they’d fought with parents and doctors and mostly each other… But everything was more or less resolved now. Even if Dani was less than one hundred percent happy about it. In fact he absolutely hated the idea but there was nothing he could do. They'd tried the screaming match, the tears and the stony silences and in the end were no closer to resolving the matter as they were right after Dani had arrived back from Japan. It would have been a different story if Marc actually had to win the race to take the title. But he didn't. And sixth place was doable, completely doable for someone like Marc Marquez. Dani knew he was never going to win but he would also never forgive himself if something happened to his boyfriend or their unborn child. 

“You were amazing.”

With a sleepy grin, Marc locked his gaze with his boyfriend’s once again and pecked him on the lips. “I’m always amazing. But thank you anyway.”

Dani rolled his eyes briefly but he couldn’t help the affectionate smile that quickly took over his face. _Modest as always I see._ “But you were even more amazing this time. So I should be the one thanking you.” It felt so good that they could interact so effortlessly once again after all the tension had thankfully disappeared. Because if three years ago someone had asked him what he hated the most in the world, he would have answered ‘being beaten by Jorge Lorenzo’… or maybe just ‘Jorge Lorenzo’ full stop… but now his answer would always be ‘fighting with my boyfriend’.

“Maybe you could just repay the favour? But tomorrow because there is no way I can do anything other than just lie here for the rest of the night.”

The older man grinned wickedly. “Well that’s all you would have to do anyway.”

This time it was Marc’s turn to roll his eyes. “You know what I meant.”

 _I do._ Dani shifted so that he was even closer to the younger man, placing his hands possessively over Marc’s bump. It was quite amazing how quickly the little bulge had turned into something that was a lot more defined. But thankfully it wasn’t big enough that it would be obvious to anyone who laid eyes on him that he wasn’t just getting a bit chubby. “So… Valencia tomorrow…”

“Yeah. Tomorrow…”

“Are you scared?” _Because I’m scared. I’m very, very scared._

There was a brief moment of silence for a moment before Marc nodded. “Yeah, I am. But if I find myself in a dangerous position, I’ll back out. I’m not going to take an unnecessary risk. Like I did in Aragón…”

 _And you won that race…_ “I know. I just can’t wait until this week is over. Then we won’t have to worry about anything other than pushchairs and what colour we’re going to paint the nursery.”

Marc chuckled and pressed his lips against the older rider’s temple. “Speak for yourself! I have to worry about actually giving birth to the little munchkin.”

 _That is very true._ “Well at least you know you have one of the best doctors in Europe working on you.” _Like I would let you be touched by anything less…_

“I guess. It’s still scary though….”

“I know it is.” Something suddenly popped into the Dani’s mind and he couldn’t believe he’d never thought of it before. It seemed like the best idea that he’d ever heard. “Let’s go away. After Valencia. Let’s go away for two weeks to somewhere hot and beautiful where we only have to worry about sun cream and what we’re going to eat for dinner. Let’s put everything else on hold for a while.”

The pregnant rider propped himself up on his elbow, a wide smile quickly spreading across his face. They were supposed to move Marc’s stuff from Cervera to Geneva after Valencia but that could be put on hold for another two weeks. Dani’s house wasn’t going anywhere and neither was his stuff. And the thought of spending two weeks in the sun with Dani and no responsibilities seemed positively heavenly. “That sounds amazing. Where did you have in mind?”

“I don’t care where we go. We can figure that part out later. I just want to take a break from everything and not hear the words ‘championship’ or ‘Jorge Lorenzo’ mentioned.”

Marc wrapped his arms around his boyfriend once again and brought their mouths together. “Whatever happens this weekend, we’ll just forget about it all. Sounds good?”

“Sounds perfect.” 


	36. Calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing ever closer now to the big showdown in Valencia... Will Marc ride? Will he not? Who knows? ~~me because I thankfully just managed to finish the demon chapter that had been annoying me for days~~ Thank you for all the response to the last chapter! ♥

“Calm down.”

Dani’s order did little to comfort Marc and he continued to bounce anxiously in his seat, fearing the imminent disappearance of the ‘fasten your seatbelt’ sigh. _Deep breaths… but deep breaths don’t seem to be doing anything._ “I can’t calm down! I don’t know if I can do this. I thought I could but… I’m going to be back in the spotlight again. People won’t be just watching me, they’ll be judging me too.”

_I’m really glad you waited until we are on the plane and landed in Valencia to figure that one out…_ Dani thought to himself as visions of having to drag his boyfriend on board filled his head. He reached out and covered Marc’s hand that was clinging tightly to the arm rest with his. “You’re going to be fine. I promise. It’s just last minute nerves. You’re going to be as amazing as you always are and I’m going to be right here by your side, okay?”

Marc stared into Dani’s big mocha coloured eyes and found himself nodding along with what the older man was saying. “You’re right. I’m going to try to stop freaking out now.”

“Good,” Dani beamed and once again had to resist the urge to lean in and peck his boyfriend’s very kissable lips.

“Are you sure I don’t look too…” _knocked up, pregnant…_ “ _big_ in this?” the younger rider asked, glancing down at the black Repsol sweatshirt he was wearing instead of the usual orange (he’d tried that and orange was not a good colour for trying to hide a baby bump).

“Not at all. Seriously, you’d hardly notice anything unless you were really looking for it.”

Neither got a chance to say anymore as there was a little ‘bing’ announcing that they were now allowed to remove their belts and an air hostess thanked them for flying with their airline. Marc felt his nerves flare up once again and he grasped Dani’s hand tightly for a moment before they removed their carry-ons from the overhead bins and got off the plane.

They had co-ordinated flights with the other half of the Marquez family so that they would arrive in Valencia at more or less the same time, with Roser, Julia and Alex’s plane landing only fifteen minutes prior to theirs. Marc was nervous about seeing the rest of his family (mainly his mother) in person for the first time since everything took a one-eighty turn.

Roser, understandably, was very upset by the whole thing. In fact, Dani even caught her shooting him a disapproving side look every now and then when she thought he wasn’t looking. She could hardly even say two words to her eldest but the most important thing was that she was actually trying. And Marc had to appreciate that. Because he knew that she was sick with worry about the whole thing and she had every right to be. The pregnant rider didn’t even contemplate what it would be like for _his_ child to do what he was doing right now.

Thankfully, Julia seemed to treat them both the same as always and Alex even more so. The youngest Marquez was so excited to have his brother back that he really couldn’t care less about the circumstances. It made Marc realised just how much he missed his little brother. He and Dani would definitely have to designate Alex a room of his own in their house once they got settled in.

The arrivals hall of the airport was completely different to the inside. It was a hive of activity, with far more reporters than usual scattered around the place and quite a number of fans too. Marc put a smile on his face to hide his nerves and draped his bag over his shoulder in such a way that hid his stomach, while Dani remained as close to his side as possible without drawing suspicion. All three riders signed some autographs and posed for some pictures before successfully making their way outside to the mini-bus that Honda had organised for them.

It wasn’t until they were safely inside that Marc felt like he could actually breathe again. Well, that wasn’t for long as the second they were out of view of anyone else, Dani’s lips landed on his. The kiss wasn’t frenzied or passion filled in any sense of the word but it still managed to take his breath away. It was always torturous being right next to Dani and not being able to touch him or kiss him, the need to do so overwhelming him completely and made it hard to concentrate on anything but his boyfriend.

Dani, being the perfect gentleman that he was of course, removed his lips seemingly just as quickly as the landed on Marc’s leaving the younger man with his eyes shut closed and lips puckered expectantly. But the repeat in pressure never came and the pregnant rider opened his eyes once again.

Frowning, Marc sent his boyfriend a questioning look but Dani merely shook his head, chuckled and gestured to the rest of Marc’s family who were sitting around them now looking quite amused. _Fine. Kisses later._ Instead, the younger rider wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and rested his head on Dani’s shoulder. _What would I ever be without you?_

*

This weekend wasn’t like other GP weekends. Marc realised that the moment they made it to the hotel. Immediately their team was all over them, handing schedules and just general information on things they had to do. All starting off with an autograph session. One that, thankfully, Dani had been required to attend too. Because Marc couldn’t face it all without his boyfriend by his side. Sometimes it worried him how emotionally dependent on Dani he’d become but then he realised that’s love. When you’re in a committed relationship with someone, emotional co-dependence is encouraged. They were no longer completely separate individuals but rather two halves of the same thing.

The signing went perfectly. The unconditional support of his fans who still flocked to see him was very overwhelming. So Marc signed every poster, hat and flag with his biggest and most sincere smile because he would be nowhere without them and they were probably the ones who would still love him at the end of this all.

Dani and Jorge were kept at opposite ends of the table. Marc didn’t know for sure if it was strategic or merely coincidental but he strongly suspected the former. It made him smile more as he imagined Jorge and his fans and Dani and his getting into a semi-violent altercation about whose fault the crash was. _Dani would so win. I’d lend him some of mine too._ He could just imagine Vale sitting in the middle of it all, egging both sides on with amusing provocations.

“What are you laughing at?” Dani’s question and playful nudge in the arm, pulling him from his train of thought.

Marc shook his head and signed the picture of himself that was put in front of him. “Just the seating arrangements…”

The older man briefly glanced over his boyfriend’s shoulder to take a look at the riders on Marc’s other side before sharing his reaction. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about…”

*

“Let’s do something tonight,” Vale suggested once they had all made their way back to the hotel once again. Thankfully, the whole session had gone off without an insults, accusations or just general trouble but Dani and Jorge did keep their distance.

“Like what?” Marc wondered with a frown as he pressed the ‘call’ button for the elevator.

The Italian shrugged. “Let’s go out to dinner or something. Just away from here and all the questions that are going to be asked. You need a night to relax before things start getting crazy again. You can bring little Marquez too if he wants to come?”

Dani and Marc exchanged looks for a moment and the older man shrugged to show that the decision was his boyfriend’s. _‘You need a night to relax before things start getting crazy again.’_ “Yeah, that sounds good. Just the four of us though?”

Vale chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Yes, just the four of us. What, did you think I was going to invite Jorge too? That would be cozy…” He winced as Dani’s elbow made forceful contact with his ribs before the doors opened and they all got in.

“Meet you down in the lobby in forty minutes?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

 

Turns out Vale was right. The night of relaxation was exactly what they needed. The Italian had managed to book them a private room at a really nice restaurant he frequented so everyone was able to let their guard down. Dani, Valentino and Alex were able to drink while Marc didn’t without it looking suspicious to anyone. And, best of all, the couple were able to practically sit on the same seat without having to worry about it. 

The food was amazing too and Dani was sure that the chef thought there was more than just four people eating from the amount they ordered. Normally they would eat a lot anyway but throw in a pregnant Marquez and that increased to an amount big enough to feed a small village. But Marc was happy and everyone else was happy and that was really all that mattered.

They ended up staying a bit later than expected (actually, _a lot_ later than expected) and had to get a taxi back to the hotel at twelve o’clock that night, completely bypassing the elevator and heading straight for the stairs to minimise the chance of being seen by one of their teams. It wasn’t as if they had a curfew or anything but it was the night before practise (Marc’s first in three weeks) and they were only getting back to the hotel after twelve. And to add to that the fact that Vale and Dani and even Alex had had a good few drinks…

To put it simply, it was better for everyone if they weren’t seen.

Alex was the first to leave the group as his room was on the second floor so Marc gave him a hug goodbye, followed by one from Dani and then one from Vale because he didn’t want to awkwardly be the one left out and why not? Dani and Marc’s floor/room was next but they decided to walk up to the Italian’s on the fourth floor first (only partly because Marc was worried that he’d spent the rest of the night wandering around the hotel). There were more hugs to be had there and the couple waited until the door of Valentino’s room was actually locked before they made their way back downstairs to their own.

Or rather Marc’s. Dani’s was the designated luggage room this time around. They still found it strange that Repsol kept booking them separate rooms that were right next to each other anyway. But Dani supposed it was mainly for appearances. Booking _one_ room for your _two_ riders was bound to raise questions in one way or another.

It was closer to one than twelve by the time they finally crawled in to bed. Marc was just tired while Dani was more on the… merry side. And the younger man found it adorable. Because Dani only ever had one or at most two beers when he was around so that Marc wouldn’t feel left out. But slightly drunk Dani made for a very affectionate Dani which Marc wasn’t exactly going to complain about. They didn’t do anything except kiss because, no matter how much fun they were having, they still had to be up at half eight the next morning. But that was enough for Marc. It was enough to feel like he really belonged to Dani. It was enough to feel that he was completely adored and revered.

After a while, however, fear started creeping back into him. “Dani?”

“Yeah?” the older man asked between placing feather light kisses on his boyfriend’s neck.

“Tell me this weekend isn’t going to change anything.”

That sobered him up quite a bit. Dani stopped what he was doing and tilted his head so that he was looking right into Marc’s eyes once again. And the anxiety he saw in them killed him. “It’s not going to change anything,” he assured him with all the conviction that he could manage. To his relief, Marc seemed to believe him and relaxed visibly, snuggling into Dani’s side.

_It’s going to change a lot. But it’s nothing we can’t handle._


	37. Off to the Races

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The 'Big V' as so wonderfully put by Monocoquemadam :) Title comes from the Lana del Rey song of the same name which I adore. Trying to get more chapters written but college is back this week and I don't know how much writing time I'll get...

_I can’t do this._

That was the only thing Marc could think as he sat in the garage, watching everything happen but seeing nothing at the same time. There was less than five minutes left until the start of the first practice session and the thought of actually going out on track made him want to vomit. Everything was, in theory, perfect. He had been given leathers with extra padding that hid his bump well, there was a doctor on hand that gave him a check-up before he was cleared to go out on track, he had the support of his team, family and Dani…

But yet he felt like he couldn’t bring himself to get on the bike. His helmet sat innocently on his lap, visor turned towards him like a pair of eyes scrutinising his every move and thought and flicker of emotion. Wondering if he could really do it. Daring him to try. It made him want to just pick it up and throw it at the nearest wall.

_Am I ready? Am I doing the right thing?_

“Marc?”

He was pulled from his reverie by the distant sound of his father’s voice calling his name. The look of concern on his face only made the young rider feel even worse.

_I can’t do this. I can’t breathe._

He must have visibly began to freak out because before he even knew it, Julia was hunched down next to him, his hands firmly grasping the leather on his shoulders. “Marc,” his father asked, more forcefully this time, “What’s wrong? You need to tell me what’s wrong.”

“I don’t think I can do this. I thought I could, but I can’t,” Marc replied, trying his hardest to keep his breathing steady and failing miserably. Suddenly Livio appeared beside them, a look of equal concern on his face.

“You _can_ do this, Marc. We’ve seen you do it before. This time isn’t any different. You’re still the same rider you were before. Everything is going to be fine,” the team principal assured him.

“He’s right. You _can_ do this. You _can_ become champion. You _will_ become champion. And it will all be yours,” Julia informed his son, looking him straight in the eye, “You just need to get on that bike.”

Marc found himself nodding along with his father’s words, truly believing everything that he was saying. _They believe in me. They all believe that I can do this. They wouldn’t lie to me._ He released the breath that he had been holding seemingly for the better part of two minutes. “You’re right.” His confidence began to climb once again and the Marc he recognised began to come back. Accepting his father’s hand up, Marc got to his feet once again and pulled his helmet on.

Someone clapped him on the back and he wasn’t sure whether it was Livio or his father now that his peripheral vision was practically non-existent. It didn’t really matter anyway. Because he was now one hundred percent focused, eyes solely on the task that was before him. _Win the championship._ With determination, the pregnant rider made his way over to where his bike was position, ready and waiting for him. There was only time for a brief glance over to the other side of the garage where Dani was in a similar position. _Also trying to win the championship._

The riders-come-lovers eyes locked for a moment and Dani was quite taken aback by the burning intensity in his boyfriends eyes. It did little to settle his own nerves that had nothing to do with his chances of winning the title. _It’s all about you. And I really don’t like that look…_ Marc ended their little moment with a small nod of acknowledgement before climbing onto his bike and exiting the garage.

It was only practice two, but he still had a point to prove. And maybe that was why he once again pushed things too far- pushed _himself_ too far. Because anyone who knew the slightest thing about the sport knew that he was taking that corner two fast and at a completely wrong angle. But Marc was so hell bent on redeeming himself that it was too late by the time he realised his mistake. It was too late to brake. It was too late to let go of the throttle. It was too late to avoid the gravel.

It was just _too late_.

*

“Marc!”

The young rider’s eyes snapped open and he suddenly found himself face to face with his father. _What is going on?_ He frowned and looked around briefly, remembering exactly where he was. In the garage. “Huh?”

Julia chuckled and crouched down next to his son. “You were in a world of your own. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love that you’re focused but Dani is waiting for you in the back. He wants a few minutes before you two go out on track.”

_Right. You’re right. Everything is fine…_ Marc inhaled deeply and nodded, taking his father’s extended hand as leverage to help him climb to his feet. His new leathers were custom made and very accommodating but they also hindered his movement slightly. The pregnant rider smiled as best as he could at his father before making his way towards the very back of the garage where Dani was waiting in the very small meeting room.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” Marc found it incredible that they could still be so blasé, even at a time like that. When they were both on the cusp of greatness and the only thing standing in the way was each other. And Jorge Lorenzo. He softly shut the door before quickly finding himself wrapped up in the older man’s embrace, all reassuring and comforting and everything he needed at that moment and more. The pregnant rider buried his face in his boyfriend’s neck, clinging to Dani for dear life. _How is any of this even happening? How are we actually going to go out on track and fight each other for the trophy we’ve wanted all our lives? How are we going to be okay when it’s all said and done?_

Dani clung to the younger man just as hard as Marc clung to him. They both needed to be the other’s support. They were the only ones who fully understood.  “Are you okay?” There was so much that Dani wanted to say but just couldn’t seem to put any of it into words. Because there really were no words to describe all the conflicting emotions he was experiencing right then.

_Seriously? I have no idea. But I’ve made it this far…_ “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just… really weird, you know?”

_Oh, I know. I_ definitely _know._ “Yes, I know. But in less than an hour all of this is going to be over, okay? We just have to make it through the next hour, that’s all. Just the next hour.” _And then all the media craziness but we’ll deal with that later._

Marc nodded and raised his head once again, brown eyes locking with brown eyes. _I can’t even begin to imagine my life without you._ He stared at his boyfriend with an intense gaze for a moment before pressing his lips against Dani’s. It wasn’t like any kiss they’d shared before; more like a unique mixture of softness and force and desperation… And Marc knew it was wrong- it was so wrong for what they wanted to say but somehow seemed to fit the situation all the same.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” the pregnant rider admitted, voice choked, when they finally pulled away. _I don’t see how I can._

Dani placed his hands firmly on the taller man’s shoulders and looked him right in the eye, squeezing a lot tighter than was probably necessary. “You can do this, Marc. You’ve already made it through the majority of the weekend. This is the home stretch. So if this is just last minute nerves, fine. I know the pressure and weight of expectation only too well. But if you’re saying that because you genuinely feel that it’s not worth the risk, then don’t go out there. I won’t let you go out there. This is all your decision. I know I’ve had my opinions about it up until now, but this time it’s all you.”

_You’re right. Again._ But that did little to lessen the gut wrenching anxiety that he felt. “Promise me that it won’t affect us. Promise me that if I win it won’t tear us apart.”

And once again Dani was left slack jawed, unable to believe what he had just heard. He’d known all along that Marc had been scared because of the baby but he had absolutely no idea that _that_ was also weighing on his mind too. They’d spoken about the consequences of the weekend generally but not of the effect it would have on their relationship. But that was only because the thought that it would seemed so completely ludicrous to him. “It won’t affect us. I promise you that, Marc,” Dani said and meant it with every ounce of his soul. But that wasn’t the only thing that bothered him.

“You specifically said you…” the older man noted, frowning as Marc seemed to cringe.

“Yeah. The championship was never mine to take. It was yours. This should be your moment,” his boyfriend admitted, the look of shame on his beautiful face completely astonishing Dani.

_So that’s what this is about._ Dani laughed- he actually laughed- which triggered massive confusion in the younger rider. _How can you even think that? How can you be that blind to what you are? To_ who _you are?_ “The championship was never _mine._ It was never _Jorge’s_. It was always yours but things just got in the way of that. But now you’re going to go out there and claim it like you always should have and you’re not going to worry for a minute about me resenting you for it. Because that’s the way love works. And you should know by now that the only thing I really want more than anything is to see you happy.”

_That’s all I want too._ Marc nodded once again and tried to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes. _Damn emotions._ “I love you.”

And, finally, Dani was able to smile. He tenderly wiped a stray tear from his boyfriend’s cheek before joining their lips softly together. Relief seemed to flood him as he realised that after this the hardest part would be over. They’d almost made it. All that was left standing between them and peace was a single checkered flag. “I love you, too.”

*

Thankfully, the sun was still shining brightly as the lights gave them the go ahead to start their warm up lap. Riding, unfortunately, didn’t seem to come as naturally to Marc as it had done before or even in Aragón after he found out about the baby. It was as if neither his body nor his mind would let him push too far and he was pretty sure that had a lot to do with the recurring nightmares he’d been having ever since the night he got that phone call from Livio.

In fact, Marc only made it into Q2 which seemed to be a shock for almost everyone who knew anything about MotoGP. There were the inevitable questions of just how fit he was and whether it was irresponsible of Repsol to put a clearly unfit rider back on the bike. Little did they know.

But even sitting as he was in P17, Marc still had a feeling that he could do it- that he could pull out something special. So from the moment the race started, he pushed; not too hard, just enough to get him where he needed to go. It didn’t take much to move up from P17 to P14 and then to P10. That was all he needed to do; keep building and hopefully things would fall into place. But the only problem was his defending had suffered a lot.

It was no longer an acceptable risk for him to stay wheel to wheel with another bike. He couldn’t justify it. And normally that would have been okay; he would have lost the place but kept on pushing forward again to get the guy the next time.

But that was until it started to rain.

The little droplets on Marc’s visor sounded warning bells in his head. _No, not rain. Please no rain._ His begging didn’t work as soon the drops started getting more frequent and stronger and Marc found himself with a very difficult decision to make: stay out in the rain or bring the bike in. He was in P8 with nine laps left to go. He could do it, he could win the championship… but rain always made things a lot riskier and it was really starting to come down.

The pit lane was approaching. There was no shame in pulling out of the race. His team would understand, applaud him even. His parents would be relieved. Dani would be overjoyed. Everything would finish the way it was supposed to before that crash in Japan. Dani and Jorge would continue to battle it out but Dani would ultimately take the checkered flag because he was better in the wet conditions, the Honda was better in wet conditions…

But he passed it right out. Because there were nine laps left and he only had to gain two places to win. Marc knew that he could do that. And he knew that he could do it safely. Gripping the handles tighter than he had before, the pregnant rider pushed on, praying for the end of the race to come quickly. And in those last couple of laps, his mentality changed completely.

He passed Bradl, putting him one position away from his goal. Then he passed Ianone and it was suddenly a much different game. He came to life, remaining suitably cautious while also looking for that little gap. And it served him well. Because after two more laps, not only had he secured the championship but he had also, to the astonishment of himself and everyone else at the track, put himself into fourth position. And the leading group was in sight.

The leading group that consisted of Dani, Jorge and Valentino. Marc could have sworn that he saw the three of them look back in disbelief as they passed a screen showing that he had moved up from 17th to fourth. _That’s right. The demon child is back with a vengeance._ The HRC rider most definitely was not amused when he thought of how red Jorge’s face had turned beneath that helmet with anger.

Valentino fell back from his two rivals a small bit, giving Marc the opportunity to battle him for that podium position. First or second was completely out of the question but third… third might have just been possible. _Your daddy is either going to be really happy or he’s going to kill me himself…_ Marc internally thought tp the unborn child he was carrying before going that little bit harder on the throttle.

_Final lap…_

The Yamaha rider put up a fight. Of course he did. He was Valentino Rossi after all. And Marc knew the result was great- amazing, even. More than he could have ever hoped for. Fourth place in a race in which he thought he had little hope and a championship win. Not bad for someone who was four months pregnant…

So Marc had pretty much excepted that would be his position going into the final corner. Until something happened that shocked him to his very core.

Vale ran a bit too wide on the exit. He made a mistake and Marc pounced on it, just managing to pass him to get ahead going into the pit straight. _What the hell was that? It should be the other way around. He, the nine time champion, should be capitalising on the mistake that I, the rookie, made._ But Marc had little time to get hung up on that as the finish line grew nearer and nearer, the checkered flag already waving for Dani who had managed to just hang on.

But the championship wasn’t Dani’s.

It was his.


	38. Campeón

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late! I actually had everything ready to go but I left early yesterday morning and didn't get home until late last night and didn't get a chance. Sorry about my rubbish commenting too! I'll get there! But as a peace offering, I think you'll like this chapter...

Marc didn’t take any notice of Jorge’s seething expression when he got of the bike in parc ferme. All he saw was Dani’s grin, which was really a bit too wide for someone who had lost out on a championship. He could see the slightest hint of disappointment in his eyes, that was only natural, but Marc had never seen his boyfriend look so proud. He wanted nothing more to just run to his boyfriend, throw his arms around him and plant the biggest kiss ever on his lips but that definitely wasn’t the time or place. And there were others that demanded his attention first... The ones that had contributed just as much to the championship win as he did.

So the pregnant rider pulled of his helmet and set it down on his bike before locking eyes with his family and team and running right for them. There was no possible or coherent way to describe all the different emotions that he was experiencing right then. They all just merged together in so form of out of body disbelief and extreme happiness. Marc suddenly found himself enveloped in a four way hug but not so tight that his stomach would be pressed up against the barrier.

The first thing he noticed was that his mother was crying, not very obviously but Marc could clearly hear the quiet sobs as she pressed her lips against his cheek. He couldn’t really say he blamed her. It was impossible to imagine how anxious she felt watching him in that race. Later he would have to apologise for being so reckless. But later he would also be a world champion.

Julia gripped him tighter than the others and excitedly told him how proud he was of him and how he had done it, beaten the odds. Marc wanted to reply, to thank him for all his support and tell him how he couldn’t have done it without him but he just couldn’t put any of his thoughts into words. They were all too busy buzzing around his head to actually escape his lips. Besides, how could he put something like  _that_ into words? It just didn't seem enough. 

Alex just went crazy. He was jumping up and down enough for the both of them. “Campeón! Campeón!”

Marc just chuckled and hugged his brother tightly before moving on to Santi and Emilio and the rest of his team. Normally they would be a lot more boisterous in their celebrations but this time they took extra care with their rider. This was not the time to be tossing him about the place.

The parc ferme interviews were both a nightmare and a dream at the same time. He loved how the journalists made him feel; proud, accomplished, like a real champion… but all the while he spoke, Marc itched to be with Dani; to hug him and kiss him and share this completely surreal moment with him. But he would have to wait until the podium to do that.

_The podium._

_I get to share this moment first hand with the love of my life._ And that statement was never more true than it was in that moment. He had never been so in love with Dani. It wasn’t because he was merely on a high from the championship win (though he was). It was because everything just seemed completely perfect. They were incredibly in love and expecting their first child and Marc had just won the world championship without hurting himself or his baby.

His worries from earlier on about the effect that it would all have on their relationship were no longer in the back of his mind. They vanished the minute Marc locked eyes with his boyfriend and saw that the hint of disappointment was outweighed a million times over by the look of complete love and affection. And that look was very much returned by the younger man.

Marc shook hands with a still very outraged Jorge while still in parc ferme. The Mallorcan, being the wonderful actor that he was, gave the impression to any outsider that he was more or less okay with the newbie’s win but Marc took one look in his eyes and knew that certainly wasn’t the case. He didn’t even need to do that to know it wasn’t but the seemingly burning anger in the Yamaha rider’s eyes startled him.

Thankfully, that was more or less the extent of the interaction between the two as Marc was quickly whisked away to prepare for the podium by Emilio. As he was led away from the mass of reporters, the pregnant rider looked around him with a frown only to have his manager whisper in his ear that Dani was already gone. But Marc didn’t dwell too much on that because he knew that they would soon be reunited and the prospect of that made hundreds of butterflies appear in his stomach.

That thought made him remember himself and the HRC rider looked down to between his hips, amazed to see once again that his bump was nearly completely disguised. Unless you actually knew that he was pregnant, it was completely unnoticeable. Marc rubbed his stomach very discreetly, seeing the corners of Emilio’s mouth tug upwards even more when he realised what his rider was doing. _This one’s for you- for you and your daddy._

There was one last stop before the podium. Emilio placed a t-shirt that Marc hadn’t even noticed he had been holding into his hand with a massive grin on his face. “I think you’re going to like this one, champ…”

His curiosity now getting the better of him, Marc began to open it up to see what was on it before being quickly stopped by his manager. “Wait until you have it on…”

“Okay…” He wasted no time, though Emilio had to help him pull it down over his leathers. Marc was careful not to accidentally sneak a peek for fear of his manager chastising him over it. But he didn’t have to wait long.

“Now you can look.”

The young rider did what he was told and looked down at the front of his t-shirt. What he saw shocked him for a brief moment before an uncontrollable smile at the brilliance of it all took over his face. _They didn’t…_

But they did.

Marc quickly burst out laughing at the cartoon of a baby on crawling with a crash helmet on and the words ‘Baby champ on board’ emblazoned beneath it. _I can’t believe they actually did that. How did they even think of that?_ “I’m not even going to ask how you came up with this…” Visions of all his team gathered together in a covert meeting discussing what the design for his champion t-shirt should be like filled his head.

Emilio chuckled and patted his rider on the back. “It was Santi’s idea. The moment those fateful words left his mouth, we all knew there could be no other design. Because _this_ is Marc Marquez.”

Suddenly overwhelmed with affection for his whole team, Marc pulled his manager into a tight hug. “Thank you. For everything. I could have never done this without all the support you’ve given me- without the support you’ve _all_ given me.”

“You’ve just repaid us all by winning this. You deserve it, champ. Now go out there and show the world you’re lovely t-shirt. I’m sure that Dani will get a kick out of it…”

“I’m sure he will.”

And he did. Dani and Jorge were already there waiting when Marc arrived behind the podium with the biggest grin probably ever seen in the history of the world plastered on his face. Dani took one look at his boyfriend’s attire and burst into a fit of very Pedrosa-esque giggles.

“They didn’t…”

Marc’s grin somehow widened even more if that was even possible and he nodded emphatically. “Oh, they did. Santi’s idea.”

“He’s very clever.”

“I know. And no, you’re not stealing him from me. Hands off, Pedrosa,” the younger man said playfully, moving closer to his boyfriend.

Dani scoffed and shook his head as he embraced Marc for the first time since he had become champion. And if felt so much better. “I thought we share everything, Marquez.”

_Oh, you bet we do._ “Yes, but not this!”

“Oh come on! I’ll lend you Alberto?”

The newly crowned champion’s eyes widened alarmingly and his jaw would have fallen slack if it wasn’t for the fact that it was already resting on Dani’s shoulder. “Is that supposed to make me change my mind?! Because if so you’re doing a really bad job of it…”

“Be quiet. And congratulations by the way. You were absolutely amazing,” Dani subtly placed a small kiss on his boyfriend’s neck and squeezed him tighter before remembering that he had to be gentle. _Your leathers hide it so well that I almost forgot… Sorry baby!_

Marc didn’t get a chance to reply to that because a deeply disgusted noise escaped Jorge’s (whom they had pretty much forgotten was actually there in the first place) mouth. “Get a room, you two.”

Dani realised the younger man and turned to glare at his (former, he had to remind himself) enemy. “Here’s a thought, how about you just leave and we’ll all be happy.”

“Hey,” Marc warned him, placing his hand firmly on Dani’s shoulder, “play nice, boys.”

Jorge looked really keen on making a smart remark about that but was very disappointed when the three of them were quickly ushered in the direction of the podium. Marc first, Jorge second, Dani third. But it was the youngest of the three that received the most applause and cheers, naturally, which seemed to make the Yamaha rider cringe.

They were each presented with their trophy and, as soon as that happened, Dani shocked the crowd by pulling Marc up onto the top step with him. But neither really cared how it looked because this was an incredibly important moment for the both of them and they were damned if they weren’t going to share it together. Marc could only assume that Jorge was completely livid at the fact that he was left standing by himself but he couldn’t really care less.

The pregnant rider turned to look at his boyfriend with such love and adoration in his eyes that Dani just wanted to throw caution to the wind and kiss him right there and then. And he knew very well that Marc would not object at all. Instead he opted to keep eye contact with the younger man for a moment, effectively having a silent conversation with him.

_What should we do?_

_I don’t know! What_ should _we do?_

_We haven’t talked about this… do you want to kiss me?_

_Do you want me to kiss_ you _?_

Marc’s gaze instinctively went back to the crowd gathered beneath them when the Spanish national anthem started to play and Dani felt his breath when he realised just how beautiful and fulfilled his boyfriend looked and something just clicked. Something he hadn’t really even contemplated yet. And he knew it was probably the wrong time or too rushed and they hadn’t discussed it but it just felt right. _You feel right._ We _feel right._

So Dani did in fact decide to throw caution to the wind and, every inch of him suddenly shaking, took a deep breath and planted a kiss right on Marc’s cheek. And it seemed as though everything stopped for a moment as Marc, Jorge and everyone else (just the millions of people watching on tv) realised what he was doing. But still, despite all the eyes that were now burning a hole in him, he let his lips linger for a moment unperturbed by the sensation of Marc freezing beneath his touch. _You’re shocked. I just hope you’re not mad… Because I must be absolutely crazy._

After a long and painfully awkward moment, Dani removed his lips again, trying his best to keep his gaze locked on a far part of the circuit and not make eye contact with anyone in the process. Before he knew it, the anthem had finished and everything kind of stalled for a moment naturally as everyone was still in shock at that little display of affection from Dani who was

  1.        Marc’s team-mate
  2.        His rival
  3.        Just after having the championship taken from him
  4.        A man



And

  1.        Supposed to hate the demon child as much as anyone else.



And he was all of those things. But the last certainly didn’t apply to him.

Then by some miracle (literally), Jorge (of all people) salvaged the situation by picking up his bottle of champagne and began the post anthem ritual like nothing had even happened. And it was in that moment that Dani’s opinion of the Mallorcan changed forever. _You actually have my back._ Still a little bit dazed but following the Yamaha rider’s lead nonetheless, Dani and Marc picked up their bottles and began dousing each other with the fizzy liquid. Jorge and Dani made a concerted effort to drench the new champion with as much champagne as physically possible.

Marc tried to fight back but it was hardly a fair fight so he ended up just taking it, mouth remaining shut because he was still pregnant and unable to drink. And when they had finished and Dani was drinking from the bottle instead, the younger rider watched him with brown eyes that had practically turned black, teeth digging into his lower lip. He waited, heart pounding alarmingly, still watching, just watching as his boyfriend swallowed the liquid. The minute the bottle had left Dani’s lips, Marc grabbed his neck and pulled their lips together for a proper kiss this time.

_And that is a can of worms that cannot be unopened._


	39. Wrong Place at the Right Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so, so much for all the response to the last chapter! ♥ I always get strangely emotional when I get all the emails :P You're all so amazing and that's why I love the MotoGP fandom so much. It's like a big family! :D ♥ ♥ ♥ Thanks also to those who have followed my Tumblr tumariposaroja. ♥

It didn’t last long. Marc pulled away soon after they made contact, wanting to keep it PG in front of a live audience of millions, all with different opinions on the matter of two men kissing. But right then, Marc didn’t care about those who were against it. Because they had never won a MotoGP world championship and he wanted to share that with Dani in any way he could.

But even Jorge couldn’t save them now and the moment Marc removed his lips from his boyfriend’s he felt the weight of that completely. The whole place had gone silent; the podium girls stood there with wide eyes and mouths agape, Jorge rubbed his face wearily, the crowd was unnervingly subdued. And then there was Dani who was so shocked that he could hardly do anything but smile. But at least he smiled. And that was really all the younger rider needed to reassure him that he had made the right decision. Emilio and Alberto may not have felt that way, however…

Eventually, the silence was replaced by mumbling as the crowd found their voice again and things gradually got louder and louder. And suddenly Marc and Dani found themselves with no idea what to do now that they had effectively come out to the whole world. _Our managers definitely aren’t going to thank us for this…_

Marc looked to Dani with wide alarmed eyes which he knew was stupid since he was the one that actually made the decision to take that leap off the cliff when really Dani had only stuck his toes into the pool but Dani was also older and therefore wiser… At least he hoped he was. But the older rider unfortunately didn’t seem to have any answers either.

Thankfully, or not so thankfully depending on what way one looked at it, Marc caught Emilio’s eye and his manager gestured wildly for him to get off the podium. They’d obviously caused enough damage as it was. Marc had absolutely no problem with that. In fact, he welcomed it. Because no matter how proud he was to be Dani’s boyfriend and have the whole world know that, he didn’t like being perched on that platform under everyone’s scrutiny.

Jorge and Dani were just as happy to get out of there, quickly following the youngest of the three as he made his way out of the public eye once again. All three riders remained completely silent but Dani shared a nervous smile with Marc and firmly grasped the younger man’s hand, hanging on for dear life. Because they were going to have to stick close together if they wanted to make it through the day. Especially the next couple of hours.

Jorge could honestly say he felt for the couple when he saw the look on both their manager’s faces. Emilio just looked on edge and panicked but Puig looked like he was going to murder the two of them with his bare hands. He really hoped he didn’t; things would be boring without his arch nemesis and the demon child.

What didn’t escape him was the look of absolute relief on his own manager’s face. _Because that could easily be me. But it isn’t._

“ _You two. Come with us. Now._ ”

Alberto seemed so completely livid that Emilio actually made the conscious decision to switch places with Marc and Dani when they began walking so that he could separate them, fearing for the safety of the two riders. It didn’t escape him that Marc was still clinging to Dani as if he would get lost if he even thought about letting go. And that really saddened his manager. Because, as much as it seemed like it sometimes, Emilio wasn’t Marc’s father. His rider was a fully grown man entitled to make his own decisions.

So without drawing the wrath of Alberto on them, Emilio gave Marc a soft smile and placed his hand reassuringly over the younger man’s shoulders. _Because you may have done something insane but we’re all forgetting that you just beat every single odd that was against you and won the championship._

“That was really brave.”

They didn’t get too far before Jorge’s words caused them to stop in their tracks. Well, it caused Alberto to stop in his tracks and the other three either had to halt too or run into him. In a move that would very much mirror a teacher that had heard a student making a joke as he was walking away, Alberto spun on his heel and stared the Yamaha rider down, a look of complete incredulity on his face.

“Brave? That was not _brave_ , it was stupid and reckless!”

Dani, Marc _and_ Emilio all cringed at that. The new world champion, looking even more lost that he had before, moved closer to his boyfriend’s side.

_This is really not the time or the place for this._ “I think we should-“

“Of course it’s brave. To go out there in front of all of those people and do _that_ …” Jorge shook his head to himself, “I’m not sure I could ever do it.” _I’m not sure that I_ can _ever do it…_

“Well I guess that’s good for you then, Albert,” Puig told Valera with a grimace before taking hold of Dani’s arm and leading him in, and by extension Marc,  the direction they were going in when the Yamaha rider made that profession. The two riders were still completely in shock at the turn everything had taken but still managed to throw a grateful smile over their shoulders at their compatriot. Jorge was the only one who really understood.

 They may not have thought about it beforehand, but Marc felt absolutely no regret and he knew that Dani felt the same. Because if they couldn’t survive people finding out about them, then what was really the point of being together in the first place?

Lots of pictures were taken of them on the way to the building that the post-race interviews were being held which wasn’t exactly unexpected. But this time Emilio stepped between Dani and Marc and the pregnant rider actually let go of his boyfriend’s hand. But he did it as a favour to his manager, not Dani’s.

He smiled his usual smile for the cameras but Dani, who was always a lot more reserved, seemed to be having trouble with that. And that was okay; because Marc knew that it had nothing to do with their relationship. That was just Dani. They were bundled inside like the president of the United States and it was only then that the newly crowned world champion realised just how crazy this all was. Because it shouldn’t matter that he kissed his team-mate, whether they were actually in a relationship or just in the heat of celebration. One- no, two- kisses shouldn’t have created that much havoc.

The people working in the building seemed to anticipate what they would want and swiftly and efficiently led them into a completely empty meeting room. And that’s when both Marc and Dani found themselves getting nervous, like two children who had done something bad that embarrassed the whole family.

“Sit.”

Dani looked his manager right in the eye and simply said ‘I think we’ll stand’. He knew that sitting down would put both himself and his boyfriend in a vulnerable and, frankly, humiliating position. They needed to be on equal terms if this was going to work.

Emilio decided to speak before his counterpart made the situation worse than it already was. “Right, we need a plan of action- and a very good one at that. Because there are a few ways we can play this but… Can I be completely honest?”

Marc shrugged and leaned into Dani, who wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s abdomen and left his hands to rest over Marc’s bump just to remind Alberto how serious everything was. _I’m all ears._ “Go for it.”

His manager nodded. “Okay. We could try to deny this all and wave it off as something that just happened when emotions were running high… But no-one’s going to believe that. If it happened once and was just the kiss on the cheek, fine that might be explainable. But that kiss… that pretty much said it all. And the fact that Jorge seemed to be a bit too in tune didn’t make things any better. As well, it won’t take a genius to point back to Australia when Marc was wearing Dani’s t-shirt in the paddock…”

The pregnant rider tried to keep his face as impassive as possible when he received an almighty glare from his boyfriend’s manager. _It’s still three against one, no need to worry…_

“I still think that we should discuss other options. ‘Coming out’ is not a good idea.”

“Guess what, Alberto?” Emilio said with incredulity and made a wild gesture with his hands, “They’re already out. Sure, we can try our best to explain it all away but what’s the point in that? They’re still going to be together and people are going to be watching them with an extremely close eye. It’s only a matter of time before they’re spotted doing something or other! If we try to cover this up, we’re basically making their lives completely miserable.”

_I really love you, Emilio. Want to manage us both?_ “And let’s not ignore the big pink elephant in the room… Marc is still pregnant,” the phrasing of that statement earned Dani a very cold look from his boyfriend. The older man smiled softly and pressed his lips up against Marc’s temple. “Sorry babe, I didn’t mean that _you’re_ the elephant. But there’s still going to be a baby at the end of this. And Marc and I are going to need to do things together.”

Alberto-who still didn’t seem to like this one bit- huffed knowing that this was one fight he wouldn’t win. Nothing he could say would change Dani or Marc’s mind about all of this. And as much as he hated it, he had to accept that this was the way they were going to play it. _But Marc Marquez will never be in my good books…_ “Fine,” Alberto said with an exasperated shrug, “So what’s our plan of action?”

And at that simple question, the couple exchanged a look of relief. Because everything might just be okay.

*

They were only reunited with Jorge after sitting down at the table for the press conference so neither Dani nor Marc got a chance to thank their fellow rider for helping them out on the podium or saying those things to Alberto. But the atmosphere had most definitely changed between the three. _We understand each other now._

The room itself was packed to the rafters. Every journalist in Europe seemed to be squashing in to the conference room, all dying to put a question to the Repsol riders. Dani just hoped that they wouldn’t come under attack. He’d never felt this nervous in all his life; not when he first got on a MotoGP bike, not when he sustained any of his many injuries, not when he met Marc’s parents for the first time as his boyfriend… And it was crazy because none of these people even knew them- except for Matt and it came as a comfort to find out that he was actually there- and it shouldn’t matter what they think. But it did because this wasn’t just something small, it was who they were.

All three of them kept their hands over the table for some unknown reason, as if they didn’t want to give them anything more to talk about. It was stupid but seemed completely logical at the time.

Thankfully, the usual questions at the start gave them all a chance to get comfortable with the situation. Or maybe because it would be completely rude or distasteful to ask about _that_ and completely ignore the fact that MotoGP had just seen its youngest ever champion.

 There were congratulations on the championship win and questions of how it felt to do so in his rookie season. Then there were questions put to Dani and Jorge about the whole thing. In hindsight was there anything either of them could have done differently? Did they enjoy the season as a whole?

It wasn’t until Marc was asked the question ‘How are you going to celebrate the win?’ that he decided the time was right to address the… situation. The youngest rider paused for a moment, briefly glancing at Dani first and then at Jorge, who both seemed to have completely unreadable expressions on their faces. _I have the opportunity to take control and do this on my terms, not wait for them to come at me with god knows what kind of questions._

“I will celebrate with my family and my team and… also with my boyfriend,” Marc said, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible and made a point of intertwining his fingers with Dani’s, whose hand sat on the table right next to his. He glanced at his boyfriend with a smile on his face but eyes that were questioning.

_Was that okay?_

Thankfully, the eldest of the two was smiling very broadly at this stage and Marc just felt his heart melt completely. _That was perfect._ Dani communicated just that by giving the young man’s hand a very reassuring squeeze.

There was silence in the room for a moment as the air of disbelief that Marc Marquez had just come out willingly without having to be interrogated before the place erupted completely. There were so many people talking at the same time that it was virtually impossible to distinguish one question from the other.

But, despite being put on the stand like that, the main thing that both Dani and Marc felt was relief, pure and unadulterated relief.

_Because it means no more hiding._


	40. ¿Preguntas?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys are so amazing ♥ ♥ ♥ Real talk, what on earth happened in that race yesterday?! I came home and saw the results on Facebook and I was just like 'Oh, Vale won!' :D and then my eyes travelled further and further south and there was still no sign of Marc's name and I was like D: ! Anyway, hope you like this one!

“How long have you been together?”

That was the first question of many asked after Marc’s little (or not so little) declaration was made. And funnily enough the pregnant rider actually had to a have a bit of a think about that. To be honest, it had seemed like years. Because even before they slept together for the first time, things had changed a lot. “We’ve been together for months.” _I’m not going into specifics._

Another onslaught of journalists waving their hands about, praying to get a chance to pose their questions. Dani squeezed his boyfriend’s hand even tighter.

“Did the team know about your relationship? And if so what they did think?”

The older rider decided to take this one. Marc had had to deal with enough already. “Yes, they knew about us and they were fine about it. Better than fine, actually. Because it doesn’t matter.”

“Are you saying that it doesn’t affect what yourself and Marc do track?”

The younger man’s thumb brushed over the back of his hand as Dani bit down on the inside of his cheek to stop from scowling. _What the hell do you think? That I just let him win because I’m fucking him? That we have a schedule and take turns at winning?_ “That’s exactly what I’m saying. What Marc and I are like off the track has absolutely nothing to do with our racing. You saw that today. We both had the chance to win the championship. You didn’t see either of us going easy to hand it to the other. I’m happy for Marc, I’m _so_ happy and proud of him. But we leave things on track. And that’s why we work so well.”

“Does anyone else in the paddock know about your relationship? And if so how did they react?”

Marc, who had been a little bit busy trying not to smile too widely at his boyfriend, decided to take that one. “Yes, there are others in the paddock who know. Well, everyone knows now but there were a few who knew beforehand. And most of them weren’t actually surprised.”

Jorge nodded, deciding to get his spoke in since it was only a matter of time before he was asked something. “I was one of those who knew,” he glanced to the two Honda riders on his other side and chuckled. “And I was surprised. Very surprised. But I think I was one of the only ones!”

“Did anyone have a problem with it?”

Once again, Jorge decided to take the lead, sending the journalist a very unfriendly look. “No-one had a problem with it. Like Dani already said, it doesn’t matter. None of us could care less about who they date. That’s their own business.”

Marc instantly decided that he was going to send the Mallorcan a nice fruit basket or something. Because despite the rivalry and everything that had happened this championship, when push came to shove he was willing to stand up for them. And they could never thank him enough. _We’d do the same for you and Ricky._

“Do you think you will be able to retain all of your fanbase?”

_Hopefully yes. But it’s not the end of the world._ Dani pursed his lips for a moment before shrugging. “I don’t know. I would like to say yes but I know that there a lot of varying opinions when it comes to this. All I can say is the support the both of us get from our fans is just amazing and we obviously hope that will continue but if it doesn’t that’s okay too.”

“You never know, we might even gain some new fans too…” the youngest rider added with a smile that couldn’t be described as anything except devilish. Thankfully, that got quite a few chuckles from the reporters sitting in front of them. Even Dani and Jorge couldn’t help themselves.

Matt was chosen to ask the next question and both Marc and Dani relaxed visibly. They knew that they didn’t have to worry about a stupid or even offensive question coming from him of all people. In fact, the older rider had even wondered on several occasions just how far his friendship with Cal went.

“Doing what you did obviously took a lot of courage and it evidently means you’re serious about each other… would you say it’s love?” the BBC reporter asked with a warm smile on his face, trying to steer the questions that would follow in a different direction.

Both Dani and Marc smiled widely and exchanged glances briefly.

_Do you want to take this one or will I?_

The slightest shrug of Dani’s shoulders told Marc all he needed to know. Because he knew Dani was generally uncomfortable with letting the media know exactly what he was feeling and Marc definitely wasn’t. Without tearing his eyes away from his boyfriend by his side, they younger rider nodded. “Yes, it’s love.” _And it wouldn’t surprise me if it always has been._

“Can you give us a little kiss?” An Italian female reporter asked this time and all three riders knew that a man would never have the guts to even ask that. It caused the couple to blush bright red. _She seriously wants us to kiss?_

Marc immediately shook his head. “No. We already give two kisses on the podium. Is definitely enough,” he replied playfully but feared that wasn’t going to be it. Because the rest of the room seemed to look very intrigued now and he really doubted they were going to get away with it that easily. Marc could almost feel Dani cringing beside him.

“Not even a little one?”

Jorge, who was actually having far too much fun with all of this, nudged the eldest rider good-naturedly, egging him on.

Dani shot a glare at the Mallorcan but there was still a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He turned the other way to look at Marc and see what he thought. His boyfriend seemed equally amused and gave the slightest of shrugs. _They’re not going to leave us alone if we don’t, will they?_

_Nope._

_Will we just do it?_

Dani took the initiative this time, seeing as the younger man had taken the plunge completely on the podium, and leaned in quickly to place a brief and chaste kiss on Marc’s lips. As a million cameras seemed to flash and click, Dani found himself wondering how exactly it had all come to this. If someone had told him three years ago that someday he would be in a press conference, announcing that he was in love with a man and kissing his team-mate he probably would have had them committed.

_And yet here we are._

*

 “Marc!”

Roser’s arms found her son the moment he stepped foot outside the conference room. He had survived. They had survived. Marc clung to his mother tightly, feeling as if he could finally breathe once again. He hadn’t realised just how tense he was until he was wrapped safely in his mother’s arms once again. “I’m so proud of you. You were so, so brave.”

It was completely terrifying for her as mother. Not that her son was officially seen as gay by the whole world, but because he was old enough and mature enough to sit in a press conference and come clean about his relationship with Dani. _My baby definitely isn’t a baby anymore._

Jorge stood awkwardly to the side as he watched the scene. Julia embraced Dani and then did a switch with his wife. Then Marc, Dani and Alex had a bit of a group hug before Dani’s parents and brother found them and the cycle began again. Basilia and Roser ended up clinging to each other talking about how they were family now. It was all a little bit terrifying and very intimidating. Albert congratulated him on how he handled himself during the interview and told him he was free to go back to the hotel. Frankly, he couldn’t wait to get out of there.

The Yamaha rider tried his very best to slip out without being noticed but unfortunately no such luck. Dani caught his eye and excused himself from where he had been conversing with his brother and the two Marquez boys to make his way over to where Jorge was standing by the door. “You heading back to the hotel?” _That’s it, work up to the heavy stuff._

“Yeah. Valera says I’m free to go so I’m probably going to go see what Ricky’s up to. Although he’s probably going to be waiting for me to come back…”

_Yeah, I suppose he would be._ “Right. Well, I just wanted to thank for everything you did and said today.”

“It was nothing real-“

Dani shook his head and smiled. “No, it wasn’t nothing. It definitely wasn’t nothing. You probably don’t even realised how much you helped with the whole situation.”

Jorge returned the smile and shrugged, conversing so civilly and amicably with his former nemesis making him feel very weird. _If you had told me a couple of years back that this would be the way things turn out…_ “You would have done the same for me.”

_And if the day comes when I need to, I will._ “Yeah, I would.”

There was a moment of silence that wasn’t nearly as awkward as either would have imagined. “Well, I better get going then. I suppose you’re going to start your celebrations now that all the drama is out of the way.”

_Yeah, there’s going to be some celebrations tonight alright. In every way possible._ “I guess we are. Marc’s just a bit side tracked at the moment. My guess is that he’ll be jumping around the place again in a few minutes.”

“Yeah, that does seem very Marc.”

“You should drop by tonight if it’s not too weird. I think Repsol booked out one of the hotel’s function rooms. And there’s going to be a free bar. Which I think is ironic seeing as the person the party is for can’t even dri-“ Dani’s eyes widened and his voice immediately cut out when he realised what he was saying and to whom he was saying it to. NO. No, no, no. _This can’t be happening. AGAIN. Why does this keep happening? Why can’t I keep my mouth shut?!_

_Wait, what? Were you about to say that the person the party is for can’t even drink? Did Marc not have champagne on the podium?_ But did he? Because now that he began to think of it, he hadn’t been paying much attention but he hadn’t seen Marc drink from the bottle at any stage. But that really doesn’t mean anything. _But then again, your face tells me it does..._ “Yeah, I might stop by at some stage. Are any of the other riders going?”

He found it really amazing that something like going to the victory party of his rival that just beat him to the championship win seemed like nothing when put into context of everything that had happened that day. Things were definitely getting weird but it wasn’t necessarily in a bad way. It was just… different.

Dani had to strongly fight the urge to let out a sigh of relief. Because it really seemed like he was after being caught out for the second time. And god help him if Marc found out that he did it again. Their relaxing holiday would probably consist of Marc locked away in the bedroom while he slept on the couch. Or on some kind of blow up bed in the pool depending on what kind of mood the pregnant rider was in… “Good! And I think so. Well, Vale has already said that he was going to go no matter who won so he’ll definitely be there. You know him, he can’t resist a good party. Or really a party of any kind… Anyone who wants to come is welcome. You should bring Ricky.”

Jorge glanced over at the new world championship, whose mood seemed to have flipped completely into his usual overly happy self, out of pure curiosity for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied him. “Yeah, I might just do that. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah. And thank you again. I’m probably going to have to say that a lot from now on,” Dani chuckled.

“Yeah, probably,” the Mallorcan replied playfully before leaving them all to their own devices. But something was definitely playing on his mind.


	41. Give it Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah... I'm basically making this up as I go along but it seems to be (kinda) working so I'll take it for now! Thank you as always for the wonderful comments a kudos :D You are all my favourite people ;) ♥

“You think I shouldn’t look…”

Marc sat on their shared bed, suit already on and hair already styled, staring intently at his phone in his hand. He’d managed to last the time it took for them to get back to the hotel and get ready for the party without checking to see what was being said about them and his patience was wearing pretty thin.

Dani contemplated the best way to address the situation for a moment, sitting down on the bed next to his boyfriend. “I think it might be best not to. But then again, if you’ve already made up your mind there’s not much I can do to change it, is there?” the older man wondered with a smile, briefly pecking Marc on the lips.

 _You know me too well._ “No, there isn’t. Nothing they say is going to upset me. Because what they all think really doesn’t matter, does it? I just need to know either way.”

 _If you’re really sure…_ “Okay, go for it.”

The pregnant rider nodded and did what could only be described as a nervous wriggle before unlocking the screen of his phone. He bypassed all the text messages because they were all from people he knew personally and it wasn’t them he was worried about, and went straight to Twitter. It immediately came up that the both of them were trending, unsurprisingly. Marc was surprised, however, to find that a good number of the tweets he was tagged in were about the championship and not his newly exposed sexuality. _Oh yeah… I actually won the championship._

But the vast majority of the tweets (and they were coming by the second) were about his and Dani’s relationship. He quickly began to scan through them.

_NO WAY! @marcmarquez and @26_DaniPedrosa??! #holyshit #marcmarquez #danipedrosa_

_Knew there had to be a catch. No guy can be THAT perfect… #sigh #marcmarquez #danipedrosa_

_This is a dark day for women all over the world. #Imhereforyou_

_Looks like bikes aren’t the only thing in the paddock that Pedrosa likes riding…_

_Someone hold me! Can this day actually get any better?! #crying #perfection #suchacutecouple_

_It’s a miracle that his parents even allowed him to date a twenty eight year old man! #marcmarquez #toyboy_

_I’m just going to go sit in a corner and cry_ _#heartbroken #buttheyresocute #stillheartbroken_

_PMSL at all the devastated girls! Looks like @marcmarquez and @26_DaniPedrosa have come to the dark side!_

_I wonder who’s on top? :P #marcmarquez #danipedrosa #gay_

_JAJAJAJAJA I’m not even surprised. There was really no way that Marquez was straight._

_Wow! Just heard the news about @marcmarquez and @26_DaniPedrosa… #sobrave #goodforthem_

_Now that is a sex tape I wouldn’t mind seeing! #marcmarquez #danipedrosa_

_PLEASE REPRODUCE._

Marc continued to read through at least one hundred tweets as Dani sat and studied his boyfriend’s facial expressions religiously. Much to his annoyance, however, this seemed to be one of the only times that the younger man’s face was practically unreadable. After a minute or two, Marc finally let out a giggle and dropped his phone haphazardly onto the bed once again. _What? Is this good? What does that mean?_ “Well? What’s the verdict?”

The pregnant rider gave a little shrug and grinned. “There are a few comments that are borderline offensive but other than that people just seem to be shocked. It’s definitely not as bad as I thought it would be…” _It is nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be._

Dani let out a breath that he didn’t even know he had been holding. _‘Not as bad as I thought it would be’…_ A hint of a smile crept across his face once again. “You mean we’re not going to be stoned?” he wondered playfully.

Marc shook his head emphatically and pressed his lips against the older rider’s for good measure. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of him. _I never thought when the time came for the world to know we would come out stronger._ “No, we’re not. But there apparently are a lot of heartbroken girls out there. And some actually seem to be very happy about the whole thing. Some girl even begged us to reproduce…”

“Well it’s a good thing that we’ve already got that covered then, isn’t it?” The older rider grinned wickedly and straddled Marc, placing his hands right over the swell of his boyfriend’s stomach.

But Marc pushed him off again. “I actually ironed this suit myself! I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you wrinkle it again,” he joked before recapturing Dani’s lips. The kiss lasted a lot longer this time and Marc found himself getting dangerously close to saying screw it and skip the party for a whole night of glorious celebratory sex. But it was his party and he needed to be there, especially after everything that had happened that day. “We need to get going.”

“Five more minutes…”

“Dani, it’s never five more minutes with us.”

Dramatic sigh. “Fine. But we’re picking up where we left off later on.”

“Sounds good to me.”

*

“Not-so-mini-Marquez! Where are our favourite officially-out-of-the-closet hobbits?” Vale asked with his usual blinding smile as he sauntered up to where Alex was leaning by the bar, bottle of beer in hand.

The youngest Marquez shook his head to himself and chuckled. “They have yet to make an appearance. I think they might be celebrating their new found liberation.”

“Is crazy, isn’t it? Now the whole world knows. No more hiding.”

 _If only…_ “Maybe in one sense. But they still have something to hide. And hiding it might be a lot harder not that everyone is so interested.”

Vale pursed his lips at that, having to admit that the Moto3 rider was right. He gave a little shrug before pressing his bottle of beer to his lips once again. “Is not so bad. The worst part is over?”

 _For now, at least it is._ “I guess.” Alex blushed and bit his lip. “Can I ask you a favour? The barman won’t serve me because I don’t have ID and it’s all the way upstairs…” he gave the nine time world champion his best doe eyes to increase his chances of a favourable outcome.

The Yamaha rider chuckled to himself, downing the rest of his bottle of beer before flagging the barman down. “Of course.”

*

“I think something is up with Marc…” Jorge commented as he sat on the bed waiting for his boyfriend to finally be ready so they could actually get to the party before it finished. For once it wasn’t him that was taking forever.

Ricky, who was stood in front of the mirror, alternated between holding a tie against his shirt and removing it to try and figure out if he should actually wear one. “Well things are a bit crazy for him at the moment. He won the championship _and_ came out to the world on the same day. Tie or no tie?”

“No tie. It’s a celebration not a wedding.” _Although the way things are going today, that wouldn’t even surprise me._ Jorge frowned and shook his head to himself. “It’s not that. It’s something else. Dani made this comment when I was talking to him after the press conference and it just seemed a little… strange.”

The younger man put the tie down on the desk and turned to face his boyfriend properly. “Strange? In what way?”

“I think he was trying to lighten the mood after the whole thing and he invited me to the party and said it was an open bar…”

“So? What has that got to do with Marc?”

 _I was getting there._ “Then he said, and I quote, “Which I think is ironic seeing as the person the party is for can’t even” and then realised what he was saying and just stopped, like he’d made a very big mistake. He looked relieved when I didn’t mention anything about it.”

Ricky sat down on the bed too, right opposite the Yamaha rider. “Wait, so what do you think he was actually going to say?” He already had a fair idea but just wanted to hear it from Jorge to make sure he had all the facts.

“I don’t think, I know. He got halfway through the word ‘drink’ before he realised what he was saying. And that’s the only thing that would be ironic about a free bar, right?”

 _So Marc can’t drink?_ “What do you think that means? Is he on medication from his injury that means he can’t drink?” Ricky didn’t even really believe that one himself.

Jorge shrugged, going over it again and again in his mind. “But Dani wouldn’t have gotten so worked up about it if that was the case, would he?” A pause, “I think there’s something more…”

It didn’t take the Moto2 rider long to catch on to what his boyfriend was alluding to. He jaw dropped without his permission as everything started to click. _No way… Are you thinking what I’m thinking?_ “You don’t think he’s…”

 _I knew I wouldn’t have to explain it to you. This is why we work so well together._ Jorge bit his lip and nodded meekly. “I think he is. It would make sense. Maybe that was the reason he wasn’t riding? Maybe he was never injured?” _Which would explained why he miraculously recovered just in time to steal the championship…_

“Yeah, I guess it would…” Ricky’s head seemed to be spinning completely. The whole thing just seemed so crazy. _But… what?_ He tried to think back on all the interaction he’d had with Marc over the past couple of weeks and he had certainly seen nothing to indicate… _that_. But the conversation they’d had in Australia came back to Ricky. He’d asked about the injury and he had replied “It’s more complicated than we thought”. And if their suspicions were accurate, complicated was definitely a very appropriate way to put it.

*

“To Marc Marquez, the most annoyingly happy champion MotoGP has ever seen!” Vale raised his flute and Alex, Dani and Marc followed suit.

“Amen to that,” Dani replied under his breath which earned him a playful but firm elbow in the ribs from his boyfriend. The older rider grinned and snaked his arm around Marc’s waist. “Cheers!”

The all tipped their respective glasses of champagne (sparkling apple juice for the pregnant rider) before taking a sip. Marc’s eyes never left his brother as he watched Alex take a large sip of the alcohol. His eyes were darker and larger than usual and he blinked too frequently for the eldest Marquez to believe that he hadn’t had quite a bit to drink already. But Marc wasn’t about to call him out on it because a) he was eighteen and therefore allowed to drink anyway and b) they were celebrating.

Dani was all over the younger man. Now that they could officially show affection in public, he couldn’t take his hands off of Marc (and other body parts too). He held his hand one minute, kissed him on the lips/cheek/forehead another and played with his hair. Marc was the furthest thing from annoyed imaginable. On the contrary, he absolutely loved it. There were no words to describe the joy he got from showing the world that Dani belonged to him and no-one else. Coming out was the best thing he had done in a very long time. _Except for you,_ Marc thought as he briefly glanced down at his stomach, _You’re the best thing I’ve ever done._

“I,” Marc pecked his boyfriend on the lips, “have got to go to the bathroom. Again. I hope this whole peeing thing doesn’t get any worse. Be back in a few.” He handed his flute of champagne to Dani and made a beeline for the men’s toilets on the far side of the room. It actually took a while for him to reach his destination as he was constantly being stopped by well-wishers congratulating him on the win and his courage. Marc could tell that quite a few of them had questions that they were afraid to ask and that really suited him. He’d never make it to the bathroom otherwise.

But it was on the way back from the bathroom that he ran into someone he actually didn’t mind seeing: Jorge. Marc greeted the Yamaha rider with a massive smile and a hug. He didn’t notice the way Jorge’s eyes widened when their stomachs came into contact though…

“I’m so glad you decided to come! Dani said you might but I wasn’t so sure…”

The Mallorcan had to snap himself out of his little moment to answer him. “Mmm, yeah. Wouldn’t miss it. I love a good party…”

“So where’s Ricky?”

“He’s gone to the bar.” There was a brief moment of silence between the two as Jorge’s heart began to hammer against his chest. _I hope this isn’t completely out of line._ He drew a deep breath before saying “I hear congratulations are in order?”

Marc’s expression changed from completely smiley to seriously confused in the blink of an eye. He cocked his head to the side and frowned. Something in his stomach told him it wasn’t a good thing. “C-congratulations? For the championship?” his breath caught in his throat slightly as he struggled to get the words out of his mouth. 

 _You know exactly what I’m talking about. I knew I was right._ And as Jorge glanced down at Marc’s abdomen, he never he couldn’t have been wrong. Because once you knew what to look for, there were some things that even a very cleverly and carefully selected black shirt couldn’t hide… _Here goes nothing._ Trying to seem calm and blasé, the older rider chuckled slightly and shook his head. “No, not for the championship. For the baby.”

Marc’s face turned to stone before his very eyes.

_Well, shit._


	42. We Get a Picture of Our Love in Motion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100,000 words! I can't believe this was supposed to be a one-shot! ;) I'm not really too fond of this one (you''ll probably see why)... So I'm just going to go hide.

_“Excuse me?!”_

Marc was freaking out. Completely freaking out. How the hell did Jorge Lorenzo of all people know about his baby? It just wasn’t possible. Well, not unless someone told him anyway…

Jorge couldn’t help but smile at the younger man. His reaction was quite remarkable; he was almost like a threatened bear with a cub. It was hard to believe that his mannerisms could change so quickly. _Yeah, don’t bullshit me. I felt the bump._ “I know that you’re…” _How do I put this?_ He looked around briefly to make sure that there was no-one close enough to overhear, “ _in the family way._ ”

The younger rider arched an eyebrow. _In the family way? Seriously? That’s the best you could come up with._ Marc opened his mouth to flat out deny it before realising that that wouldn’t fly for very long. So he shut his mouth again, contemplating exactly what angle he should take with this. “How did you know?”

_I’m glad you’re saving us both the trouble of denying it._ “Dani. Well, kind of. He accidentally mentioned it when we were talking earlier on.”

The pregnant rider’s eyes widened alarmingly in disbelief and he huffed exasperatedly. “I swear I’m going to have to put a muzzle on that man! I can’t believe he accidentally told someone else!”

Jorge couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that Dani had done this before. _Maybe that’s why he looked so worried._ He shrugged. “Someone else may not have gave it that much thought-“

“But you’re always looking for a way to get one over on him, right?” Marc asked bitterly as he folded his arms across his chest.

_I see my reputation continues to precede me._ “What I was actually going to say is that I missed my calling in life as a detective. And before you say anything or have an aneurism or whatever, I’m not going to tell anyone. If I did, I think Ricky would kill me. Or leave me. And those aren’t really things I would like to see happen. And, I know this may shock you, but I’m not a complete asshole. So no, you don’t have to be worried. But if you want to call it Jorge I wouldn’t be opposed.”

Marc actually laughed at that, suddenly feeling a lot lighter. He could just imagine the look on Dani’s face if he suggested they call the baby Jorge… It almost made him want to try it as a joke feared that Dani would leave him or deem him an unfit parent and sue for custody once he was born. “Yeah… I don’t think that’s going to happen. Sorry. And thank you. For not telling anyone. And everything in general. I really don’t think you’re an asshole.” _Most of the time._

_Did I sense a ‘most of the time’ going with that._ “That’s good. No you better get back to your boyfriend because he’s watching us and I think he’s actually experiencing heart palpitations…”

Marc turned around to see what Jorge was talking about and, sure enough, he was still in the group with Vale and Alex (they had also been joined by Aleix and Pol) but his attention was focused solely on his boyfriend and his rival. “Yeah.”

“Go easy on him!” Jorge said but he didn’t mean it in the slightest. It would amuse him to no end to see a pregnant and hormonal Marc Marquez chewing the ear off a very frightened Dani Pedrosa. _And if he works in some physical violence too, that would be even better._

“I’ll try.”

*

“Dani, may I please have a word?” Marc asked very innocently, not even waiting to hear a reply from his boyfriend before grabbing his arm and leading him through the crowd to a deserted area at the side of the room. The older rider gulped and nodded meekly, not liking at all where this was going. _Damn you, Lorenzo. Now I’m in trouble._

“What’s up?”

The pregnant rider gaped at him incredulously. _Oh please!_ “Don’t you ‘what’s up’ me! You know _exactly_ what is _up_!” Dani paused for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to address the situation without making it worse, guilt all over his face. His boyfriend watched him with narrowed dark eyes and ultimately decided he was taking too long. He huffed impatiently and grimaced. “Okay, I’ll refresh your memory. It _might_ have something to do with the fact that I’m _in the family way_!”

Dani’s brow furrowed in confusion. _In the…_ “You’re what?”

“Pregnant, Dani! _Pregnant!_ You told Jorge Lorenzo that I’m fucking knocked up! Valentino was one thing but this can’t keep happening! Because from now on I’m going to be worried about you telling someone who we can’t really trust! And I don’t want to have to worry about that all the time. Not when I should be able to trust you!”

“You _can_ trust me! It was an accident, Marc! An accident! Because for once I felt completely comfortable with him. Just like I felt comfortable with Vale.” _Please don’t make this bigger than it is…_

Suddenly feeling enraged with no idea why, Marc chuckled humourlessly. “I’ll show you accidental!”

*

“Valentino,” Julia greeted the nine time world champion with a smile and a nod of his head before turning to his son, “Alex, do you have any idea why Marc just threw a piece of cake at Dani? With the fork still in it…”

The youngest Marquez followed his father’s gaze (along with Vale, Aleix and Pol) to the scene in the corner of the room. Julia had in fact been right; Dani standing there looking completely shocked with icing all over his face. Alex knew that anyone that didn’t personally know his brother would be worried about the whole thing but he just laughed. _This is going to be one of those things that we’re going to remind him of for the rest of his life. Who throws a piece of cake and a fork at their boyfriend?_ “Maybe he’s planning on licking it off later?” _With the way pregnant Marc eats, that really wouldn’t surprise me._

*

Both Dani a _nd_ Marc stood there in shocked silence, neither moving a muscle. _Did that actually just happen? Did you actually just throw a slice of cake at me?_ There was a very dull throbbing in his head from where the fork had made contact with his forehead but the older rider paid no attention to that. _Note to self: upsetting pregnant Marc at this stage is getting increasingly more dangerous._

“Oh my god…”

They continued to stare each other down for a moment before, at almost the very same instant, they both burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. “I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me…” Marc’s voice was no muffled by the hand that he had clasped over his mouth. “I’ll get you a napkin-“

“Don’t. I have a better idea…” With a massive grin- that was largely masked by the cake- Dani took hold of his boyfriend’s hand and pulled him into his chest, the younger man not protesting at all. He wiped his index finger over his frosting covered cheek and held it in front of Marc’s mouth. Instead of just licking the finger like Dani had expected, the pregnant rider closed his lips around it and began to suck. Dani, who had not been expecting it, could only breathe, already half hard, and try not to be too affected by the sight of his boyfriend’s dark mischievous eyes and hollowed cheeks as he circled the finger with his tongue. _Maybe you are the demon child… But there is absolutely nothing childlike about the way you’re using your mouth._

It was not an easy task. Marc waited until he heard a groan escape the older man’s lips before finally releasing the finger, licking his lips dangerously for good measure. “Mmm. That cake is _really_ good.”

*

There were several gasps from those standing in the group by the bar (and very inappropriate laughing from one Valentino Rossi). “Looks like you were right,” the Italian pointed out, amused to no end by the whole thing. _I should attend Repsol parties more often. They’re way more enjoyable than the Yamaha ones…_

Alex had pretty much turned tomato red at this stage and his father coughed awkwardly, turning around to flag down the barman for another round. That was something he _really_ didn’t want to see. It wasn’t something any father wanted to see. _Let’s hope Roser’s not around or she might die of a heart attack…_ “But I said later on! I didn’t think they would actually do it _here_!”

“That is pornographic…” Pol said as he watched the couple, head cocked to the side and eyes wide with curiosity which earned him a sharp elbow in the ribs from Aleix who seemed to almost be as red as Alex.

“Quick, Bambi! Avert your innocent eyes!”

Alex turned to glare at the Yamaha rider. “My eyes are far from _innocent_ ,” he informed the older rider with what could only be described as defiance.

Julia nearly choked on the beer that had been just put into his hand. _This is getting too weird. When did my life get so weird?_ “O- _kay_! I’m going to go somewhere where I don’t have to watch one son practically having sex with his boyfriend and listen to the other talking about his ‘not innocent eyes’. Have fun, guys…”

“Oh! Look! They’re leaving too!”

*

“I’m so glad we don’t have to do this subtly anymore,” Marc said with a devilish smile on his face as he pulled Dani in for a very passionate kiss before then pulling him into the elevator. And he didn’t actually give a damn if anyone in the lobby was watching them. Their mouths and tongues collided, both battling for dominance and the upper hand. Dani, whose hands were not tangled up in the younger man’s hair, backed Marc up against the wall, multitasking by reaching out to press the button for their floor as well.

Dani bit down on his boyfriend’s bottom lip. “Subtly was never our strong point anyway.”

“Hmm… I guess you’re right.”

Thankfully, no-one else elected to get into the elevator between the first and third floor because they really didn’t want to stop _or_ get arrested for public indecency. Because the latter was really the only way to describe the state they were in by the time the doors opened onto their floor. Both their pants were feeling excruciatingly tight and Marc’s hair was so messy and face looking so completely debauched that it took every single ounce of self-control Dani had to not push the stop button and have them get down to it right there and then.

So it was the older man that did the pulling this time and Marc didn’t put up a fight. He just grinned that asshole-ish Marquez grin and licked his lips as Dani tugged him by the shirt down the corridor to where their room was. Once inside (they almost didn’t make it in since Dani had a little trouble finding the key), lights weren’t even an issue. Marc just greedily grabbed his boyfriend and tumbled them both down onto the duvet. Clothes began to fly off in all different directions, as did buttons as neither seemed to have enough patience to actually open them.

Once again, the sensation of Marc’s baby bump against Dani’s bare abdomen almost made him growl. _You’re mine. You’re all mine._ He attacked his boyfriend’s lips again mercilessly this time, until he could taste blood in his mouth. Whose it was he did not know and frankly he didn’t care. The friction of their bodies moving so closely and roughly together made Marc wail and he arched his hips, all needy and wanton, looking for that extra bit of contact between his groin and Dani’s.

“God, _Dani_ … Just… Just fuck me. I need you to fuck me. _Now_.”

Dani almost came there and then at the sound of Marc’s shameless pleading. He could give him exactly what he wanted but another idea sprang to mind. A better idea. Sucking at the sensitive spot just below the younger man’s jaw, he defiantly said ‘No.’

Marc’s head snapped up at that, almost hitting Dani’s in the process. “What? Don’t mess with me, Dani. Just fuck me. I want you to fuck me. In fact, as the man who is giving life to your child, I _demand_ that you fuck me.”

With a grin that Marc probably couldn’t see in the dark, Dani brought his lips back to the younger man’s once again. “I’m not going to fuck you. _You’re_ going to fuck _me_.”

He had been expecting the younger man to ask mundane questions like ‘Are you sure?’ so he was definitely very happy when Marc growled and pushed him forcefully down onto his stomach, shifting so he was nestled comfortably between Dani’s thighs. “I can do that,” the twenty one year old whispered, placing soft kisses beneath his boyfriend’s ear.

Dani groaned as he felt Marc’s hardness pressing against him, arching his back to show the younger man that he was in no mood to go slow. Marc grinned at the sight of his boyfriend putting himself right out there for him. _Message received._ He reached out and quickly pulled open the drawer of the bedside locker to retrieve the bottle of lube, before settling himself into position once again. “Ready?” Marc asked with a smirk as he squirted some of the gel onto his fingers.

“Yesss… God, Marc. Please.”

_Well when you ask so nicely._ He carefully pushed one finger inside of Dani and felt him push back against him once again. The feeling of Dani’s muscles tightening around him made his own cock twitch. Marc began to flex his finger and move it around, opening the older man up bit by bit and eliciting a tortured groan from him. “More. I need more.”

_A+ for enthusiasm…_ He added another finger and felt Dani’s muscles clench once again as he tried to adjust to the intrusion. Marc found himself working quicker and more efficiently since the need to be inside his boyfriend and feel him properly was all consuming. But teasing Dani like this was almost too much fun. Adding a third finger, he watched in absolute glee and satisfaction and Dani gripped the sheets tightly, bucking his hips once again.

Another groan. “No more. I need to feel you properly. I need you inside me.”

Marc flexed his fingers once more for good measure before withdrawing them once again. “As you wish…” He squirted some more lube into his palm and wrapped his hand around his length, slicking himself up briefly before pressing himself against Dani’s now glistening entrance. “Ready?”

_Again with the questions._ Dani felt as if he was going to explode if it didn’t happen soon. He was so completely and utterly turned on that it almost hurt. “Don’t ask, just do.”

“Don’t worry, I will do…” the younger man leaned forward to sink his teeth gently into the taught skin of Dani’s back before carefully pushing inside of him. Dani’s fists balled up in the sheets once again as his body tried to adjust to how fully he was being stretched. “Is that what you want?” Marc had to try his hardest not to come right there and then as he bottomed out.

Dani groaned and nodded his head emphatically, hips jerking of their own accord in search of some _friction_ \- any friction. “ _Move,_ Marc. I need you to move.”

The pregnant rider did as he was told, needing to feel them moving together just as much. Every ounce of self-control he possessed was well and truly gone out the window. He began to thrust, eyes almost rolling back in his head at how tight and hot Dani was. His fingertips dug into his boyfriend’s hips for leverage and he was sure that his nails would draw blood but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Because the sounds and filthy words that were falling from the older man’s lips indicated that it wasn’t a problem.

“God, _Dani_ … You’re so fucking tight,” Marc said in a low guttural voice as he snapped his hips relentlessly, hitting Dani with everything he had. He used the events of the day to give him that bit more drive; the championship win, being officially known as Dani Pedrosa’s boyfriend, Dani officially being known as _his_ boyfriend, not giving a fuck what anyone thought…

“ _Marc!_ ” The older rider almost howled as Marc hit his sweet spot with all his force and it suddenly felt like they were completely in sync; Marc thrusting forward and Dani pushing back at almost the same time. The sound of grunting and moans and skin hitting skin the only sounds that really filled the room. “Close, so _close._ ”

At that point the pregnant rider reached around his boyfriend’s front and took his unbelievably hard length in his hand, jerking his wrist in time with his hips and giving Dani that little bit extra to send him tumbling over the edge. After no more than twenty seconds, the older man came hard, practically screaming Marc’s name as his hips rocked in syncopation. The sensation of Dani clenching around him and hot liquid spilling over his hand pushed Marc dangerously close to the edge and he delivered those last few thrusts that caused him to reach his destination.

His come filled Dani’s hole as he rode out his orgasm, clinging to his boyfriend for dear life. And it was perfect. Coming had never felt so indescribably perfect as it did then. After grinding to a halt, Marc wrapped his arms around Dani’s chest and pressed their bodies as close together as the bump would allow as they tried to catch their breath, muscles too jelly-like to properly perform their role.

 

“That was… amazing,” Dani gasped, letting his head fall onto the sheets.

Marc nodded as best he could even though his boyfriend couldn’t see it. “Amazing,” he agreed, before finally gathering enough strength to pull out and collapse on the mattress next to Dani. The older man’s eyes fluttered open once again and Marc was slightly startled by the way the seemed to burn, as if his irises were actually the coffee that they seemed.

“I’m sorry. I promise I won’t accidentally tell anyone else,” he said sleepily, shuffling closer to Marc’s chest and resting his head under the younger man’s chin.

Marc squeezed his eyes shut and softly played with Dani’s hair. “I know.” _I know._


	43. (Good) Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again :D Some of you might have seen my little rant on Tumblr last night about this chapter being a bitch and that is why it's late. That and because I seemed to have a severe inability to write anything that is even worth the metaphorical paper it was written on yesterday. But my sincerest apologies! (And I was either going to have to be a day late with this chapter or a day late with the next because Tuesdays from now on are really a no-go day for me. So don't expect updates on Tuesdays but they might appear everyone now and then ;)) Anyway, hope you enjoy!

“Morning.”

Marc smiled sleepily, eyes still shut, and stretched before shuffling closer to his boyfriend’s chest. “Mmm… morning.” His eyelids finally fluttered open, the sight of Dani with messy hair and remnants of dried icing on his facing causing memories from the night before to come flooding back. _It was one of the best nights of my life._

“Sleep well?” Dani looked more like a Greek god than a mere human to his boyfriend and Marc marvelled at how anyone could look that good after waking up in the morning. He himself was always a mess, cheeks and eyes all puffy and hair unruly.

“Amazingly.”

“Yeah, well winning a championship will do that.”

The younger man reached out to ghost his fingers over Dani’s bare, and frankly very distracting, chest. “It wasn’t the championship that did that to me…” he informed him, eyebrow arched suggestively, “And I am very much looking forward to picking up where we left off…”

Marc’s hand suddenly dropped south and Dani had to use his cat-like reflexes to grab his boyfriend’s wrist. “Only if we can be quick. You have stuff to do today.”

“Ugggh. I just won the championship! Do I not have the right to a day off?”

Dani couldn’t help but smile as the younger man threw his head back down on the pillow with a dramatic huff. He had to refrain from laughing. _You’ve nearly had the last four weeks off…_ “You _do_ have the right to a day off. And that’s why Emilio scheduled you to get everything out of the way today; so you can do three- and only three- interviews and we can get our flight back to Geneva for three and then get another flight tomorrow so we can spend two weeks of uninterrupted bliss together.”

 _Two weeks of uninterrupted bliss… sounds like heaven._ “Okay. Fine. I guess it’s a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. So, quick?”

Dani grinned, placing one hand on each of Marc’s shoulders and pinning him down before rolling so that he was straddling the younger man. “Quick.”

*

“How’s your head?” Vale grinned when Dani walked into the restaurant for breakfast. Marc was running late after finding out the hard way that quick was never really quick when it came to them and had to grab breakfast along the way. The HRC rider sat down opposite his best friend, who seemed to be in a bit of a delicate state. His eyes looked tired and very noticeably bloodshot but he looked otherwise… sated.

“My head?”

The Italian nodded and took a bite of his pastry. “Your head. From the low flying fork?”

 _Ah. I had almost forgot._ It was just testament to how good of a night they had that Dani could forget something like his boyfriend throwing cake and a fork at him. “Fine. It took a while to actually get all of the icing out of my hair in the shower though…” _Not that Marc helped with that…_

“What did you do that caused him to give you a chocolate facial?”

Dani frowned for a moment before realising that they left before they could tell anyone about why they were bickering. _And you obviously weren’t talking to Jorge…_ “Oh. Well… I kind of accidentally told Jorge that Marc is expecting- and before you say anything I wasn’t careless this time! I just kind of said that Marc couldn’t drink and Jorge figured the rest out for himself and confronted Marc about it.”

Valentino tried hard not to laugh, he really did- because it was more than a little bit serious- but he just couldn’t help himself. “Yeah, I can see why that would warrant him throwing cutlery and baked goods at you. But he seemed to have forgiven you from the looks of things…”

The Spaniard blushed at the memory of Marc and the finger blow job and the thought that anyone could have seen. _We really weren’t discreet…_ “Did everyone see that?”

“Hmm… let me see… There was me, Alex, Pol, Aleix and… Julia,” Vale finished with a grin, bursting into another fit of laughter when he saw the younger man’s head fall into his hands on top of the table.

“ _Nooo._ ”

“Yeah, he was a bit… _disturbed_ by it. I think it’s best that you never mention it again. As long as you live.”

Dani groaned even more. It would have been fine if Marc just licked the icing off like any normal person would do. But no, he had to it like he sucked fingers (and other things) for a living. “Yeah, I don’t think there will be any problems there. It’s a good thing we’re going to be gone for the next two weeks, I guess. So what did you get up to last night? We left pretty early…”

Vale gave his usual brilliant smile but there was something else to it that Dani couldn’t quite put his finger on. _No. Surely the great Valentino Rossi doesn’t get embarrassed!_ “A lot. And yes, you did leave early. Actually, you two were the first to go and the party was for you!”

“The party was for Marc. He’s the champion.”

“Well you have Honda a 1-2 in the championship so it was kinda for you just as much as it was for him.”

The younger man just gave a shrug and flagged down a waitress in search of coffee and some really syrupy pancakes. Vale arched an eyebrow and chuckled at that, earning a deathly glance from his best friend. “I haven’t eaten since seven o’clock yesterday and last night was… energy consuming…”

The Italian wagged his eyebrows as he took another sip of his coffee. “I bet it was.”

 _Two can play that game._ “So you never actually told me what happened after we left last night.”

Another hint of nervousness on the Yamaha rider’s face. _What the hell did you do? You’re acting all… un-Valentino-like…_ “We got very drunk, probably embarrassed ourselves and then I left after one.”

This time it was Dani’s turn to wag his eyebrows. “Alone?”

A pause and a wry smile. _You seem to know me very well._ “No. Not alone.” _Definitely not alone._

“Knew it! Come on, who was she? Do I know her?” He found it funny that the thought of being with a woman was so foreign to him now. Marc had come along and completely changed the rules of the game so much that he didn’t even know what he was playing anymore. _Once you have Marc Marquez, you’ll never want anyone else again._ And he didn’t. Dani didn’t want or have to think about being with anyone else. Because he knew he would be Marc’s and Marc would be his until the end of time. _Till death do us part._

“No… No-one you know…”

Dani pouted. “You’re no fun.”

Valentino shook his head to himself. “It was a good night- a _really_ good night. That’s all you’re going to get.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

They continued to chat contently for the rest of breakfast, Valentino becoming more like his usual self once they had gotten past the topic of last night’s conquest. He even made a joke about Marc’s appetite rubbing off on Dani as the Repsol rider chowed down on the stack of pancakes he had been given. Which, of course, earned him on of the famous (or infamous depending on which way you look at it) Dani Pedrosa glares.

 _There’s something I need to talk to you about but I really don’t know how in case you take it the wrong way…_ The Spaniard spent the better part of five minutes trying to figure out how to correctly and casually broach the subject. In the end he decided to wait until they were finished breakfast and ready to leave.

“So that final corner…”

 _Ah… I’m surprised someone hasn’t brought it up before now. But I’m definitely not surprised that it’s you._ “Yeah… Just one of those things,” the Italian shrugged and pulled his hoody over his head, trying to mask the smile that was tugging at the corner of his lips.

Dani shook his head and smiled, not believing a word that the older man was saying. _Valentino Rossi doesn’t make mistakes like that._ “Right. One of those things… Well, thank you anyway.”

Vale shrugged once again but his smile was a lot bigger this time as he got to his feet, Dani following suit. “Like I said, just one of those things.”

_And it meant the world to him._

*

“Could you at least try to act like your mind isn’t somewhere else completely?” Emilio asked, voice a very strange mixture of annoyance and amusement as the younger man prepared for the second of three interviews.

“I’m trying! It’s hard, okay?” the younger man insisted with a wry smile, eyes wide and unconvincingly innocent.

His manager rolled his eyes but still couldn’t keep the smile off his face. _Any manager would either love or completely hate working with you… It’s a good thing I fit into the former category._ If Emilio could pick any adjective that least described Marc Marquez, it would be ‘low maintenance’. _And add in a baby… Dani better hope the child is more like him than Marc._ “I know but it needs to be done and, look at it this way, once you’re done you’re free to jet off on your romantic getaway with Dani. So for the next hour and a half be the nice, playful Marc Marquez that everyone knows and loves, okay?”

“Fine. I suppose I can do that.”

“Excellent. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated.”

Marc shot his manager a look that said ‘you love me really’ and grinned. “By the way, have you seen my brother this morning?”

“No. Not since last night. I was talking to your parents earlier on and they were looking for him too. But it’s not really surprising that he’s missing in action after last night. Not all of us had an _early night_.”

The newly crowned world champion blushed and opened his mouth to say something along the lines of ‘It was _definitely_ not an early night’ before thinking better of it for everyone’s sake. “I hope Vale took care of him.”

Emilio chuckled and shook his head. _Are you actually hearing yourself? Valentino Rossi is not exactly the person you want to take care of your little brother._ “Well I went to bed at around half twelve and they were on their third round of shots at that stage. And he was still coherent which is actually very surprising seeing as you would probably be passed out on the floor already.”

Marc gasped in complete indignation. “Excuse me! He’s a lot taller than I am!”

“Okay, then how does that explain _Dani_ being able to hold his alcohol better than you?”

“He’s built up a resistance after years of excessive drinking…?”

His manager really couldn’t help the fit of laughter that engulfed him at his rider’s words mixed with the sheepish smile on the younger man’s face. He patted Marc on the back. “Nice try, Marquez, nice try.”

*

_Bang, bang, bang._

Okay, it was only someone knocking at the door by the might as well have been banging for all the good it did to his very sensitive head. _PLEASE STOP. Leave me alone!_ Alex groaned and pulled the spare pillow on the bed next to him over his head to make it go away. And it did. _Silence at last!_

For at most thirty seconds.

He felt like punching someone in the face when his phone began to chime on the bedside locker. _This is a very cruel punishment._ With the conviction of someone who was walking to the gallows, Alex freed his arm from under the covers and haphazardly reached over to grab the offending item. “Yes?” _Please have a_ very _good reason for calling._

“Alex, you need to get up! Check out is in fifteen minutes!”

The Moto3 rider squeezed his eyes shut as his mother’s voice made his headache at least five times worse. _I am not getting out of bed for at least another hour._ “Just tell them I want the room for another night…”

“Alex Marquez, you made your own bed and now you can not sleep in it. I have no sympathy. None. Now get up and get your stuff together so we can check out and go say goodbye to your brother. We’re not going to see him for three weeks…”

Roser continued to rant at her son but it fell on deaf ears. Because the mention of Marc caused all the memories from the night before to come flooding back. And Alex _really_ wished that he could un-remember them…


	44. It's All Fine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments on the last chapter! ♥ ♥ ♥ You guys are really the best!

The journey from the hotel to the airport was crazy. There was no other way to properly describe the scenes. In fact, Marc wasn’t sure if it was the fact that he was the youngest ever MotoGP world champion- a Spanish one at that- or the fact that it was the day after he and Dani had publicly come out that had the mass of people gathering. They finally made it there in one piece, accompanied by both Alberto and Emilio seeing as it was their first time out in public since the whole podium-gate and both managers felt that the two riders would probably need a little help.

And they did, so Marc was incredibly grateful for their presence (even Alberto!). He felt so completely out of his depth, clinging to Dani tightly as they made their way through the crowded airport, everyone stopping at least once to look at them. He tried his best to appear as confident as always but Dani could see right through him. Marc was scared, they both were. Because this was all new territory for them and it would take some time to adjust and for at least some of the hype to die down. Surely they would all get bored after a while?

Both riders (and their respective managers) were so relieved when they finally found themselves seated in first class on the plane. It was still quite full but there was a massive difference: they were mostly surrounded by business men and women who really couldn’t care less who they were. And that just made everything even better. Marc felt like he could actually breathe for the first time since they had left the hotel.

His head automatically found its way to his boyfriend’s shoulder and it wasn’t long until his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep, needing to catch up after the previous night. Dani was overwhelmed by a feeling of complete love as he watched the younger man sleep, mouth open slight and eyelashes fluttering every now and again. The sight was nothing less than beautiful and it just reiterated the fact that they had made the right decision; being able to publicly show his love for Marc was enough to make up for any unwanted media attention.

One thing that never failed to surprise him was how Marc’s hands nearly always seemed to end up draped over his stomach whenever he slept, almost like he was constantly protecting that little unborn child that was growing inside of him. All tiny and innocent and helpless… And it sent a shiver down in Dani’s spine in the best way possible. Because he completely understood the feeling. Those little things were like a physical manifestation of the unrelenting need to protect his boyfriend and their child that he himself felt. Dani knew that he could never live with himself if anything happened to either of them and he promised himself that he would spend every single minute looking out for them if needs be.

*

Alex couldn’t help but look around anxiously as he waited in the queue to check out of the hotel. His mother was beside him, nattering in his ear about something or other that may or may not have involved his brother but he didn’t listen to a word she said. He couldn’t listen. Because his mind was far too preoccupied with other things, more… pressing things. The pounding headache that came with the hangover had diminished quite considerably which he also put down to the fact that he had more important things to worry about right now.

Every time the doors of the elevator opened, Alex’s eyes darted over, heart pounding alarmingly until he realised it wasn’t the person he wanted to (or maybe didn’t want to?) see and he could breathe once again. But that was only for a minute or two as he repeated the process again and again. He finally got to the front of the queue, only to realise that, of course, EG were in charge of checking him out and when his mother said ‘we’, she actually meant her and his father. So he had just wasted fifteen minutes in line for something that was already done. But it didn’t bother him as much as it would have had any other day, because this morning was so completely crazy that Alex really didn’t know up from down or left from right. He was just this mess of nervous twitching, like too much coffee combined with far too little sleep and everything was just… so confusing.

They were just about to bring their bags out to the taxi when Alex set eyes on not the right person he was looking for (although he didn’t know what he would do in that situation) but the right team anyway. “Jorge!”

The Mallorcan, who was once again accompanied by Ricky, looked up in confusion, trying to see who was calling him. When his eyes finally landed on the lanky youngest Marquez, he smiled. _You’re not nearly half as annoying as your brother._ “Hey, Alex. How’s the head?”

Alex made his over to the couple (and most importantly, away from his parents), each step making him more and more nervous even though he really had no reason to be. It was just Jorge and Ricky. _Just Jorge and Ricky._ “Not great. I’ve never felt so sick in my life.”

Ricky chuckled. “Ah, I remember that age well. Every drink seems like a good idea. Or should I say every _shot_ seems like a good idea!”

The Moto3 rider actually gagged a little and covered his mouth with his hand, for fear he was going to have another… episode. “Can we please not mention the ‘s’ word?”

“I suppose we can give it a shot,” Jorge grinned evilly, “What’s up?”

Alex swallowed hard (thankfully not because some of said shots were making a reappearance). _Right. Yeah. What’s not up? This has been the fucking weirdest weekend of my entire life. And I think I’m going to be sick again…_ “Have you seen Valentino around this morning?” _Did that sound casual? I think it sounded casual. Did it?_

“He was having breakfast with Dani this morning but I’m pretty sure that he’s already gone to the airport. I can check with the team if you want?”

The younger rider was pretty sure he went paler than he was already. _Dani. He had breakfast with Dani. Who is Marc’s boyfriend… No. This isn’t good. This really isn’t good…_ “Dani?” Alex mentally cursed himself at the suspiciously shrill sound of his voice.

The Yamaha rider frowned curiously and cocked his head to the side. “Yeah, Dani. You know, about this height,” he playfully placed his hand parallel to his hip, “grumpy… Sickeningly in love with your brother. Co-producer of ‘The Demon Child, Part Two: The Demon Spawn’.”

Normally Alex would say ‘Hey, that’s my nephew you’re talking about!’ or even ask how he found out about the baby but now was not one of those times. ‘ _Sickeningly in love with your brother’…_ Once again he gulped, hoping they wouldn’t see right through him. But it was Ricky that was watching him curiously this time. “Right… No, don’t check. It’s fine. It’s all fine.” _It’s definitely not fine._

“Are you sure? It’s not a problem-“

“No, like I said, it’s fine. Thanks anyway. Have a good break.” He turned and made his way over to his parents, who just had the bags by the door, before either man could say anything more. He knew it probably looked outrageously suspicious but Alex honestly had no idea how to properly deal with the situation. And maybe that was for the best. Because Vale obviously wanted to forget about it so he would too. It would be as if the whole thing never happened.

So they all headed off to the airport once again, Alex desperately trying to shake that voice in his head telling him that things are never that simple, are they?

*

Marc made his way to the front door of Dani’s- no, _their_ \- house, opening the door before feeling a finger poke him in the back and turning around again. “Wh- Aggggh!” the pregnant rider squealed as Dani scooped him up into his arms. “What are you doing?!”

The older rider grinned and softly placed a kiss on his boyfriend’s forehead, trying not to show him that he was struggling slightly. _Pregnancy has made you a lot heavier…_ “I’m carrying you over the threshold. It’s the proper practice when you move into a new house…”

_You’re so adorable._ “Yes, but I haven’t officially moved in yet. That’s not until after we get back.”

“Technically, you have moved in. You just haven’t brought _all_ your stuff yet.”

Not wanting to argue about it, Marc grinned and pressed his lips against his boyfriend’s, completely relived that they were back in the safety of their own home once again where no-one could bother them. “Carry away!”

 

They probably should have done something sensible like bring their bags in from the car or make something to eat or _order_ something to eat seeing as there was actually no fresh food except cheese and carrots in the house after Marc was left alone in the house for the weekend before they went to Valencia. But they didn’t. Instead, they picked up where they had left off that morning. And they didn’t even make it upstairs to the bedroom. The couch was the first port of call, Marc demonstrating just what good weeks of bored research could do.

Then they made their way upstairs to shower and Dani had never been so happy that he was still relatively young. Because he had never seen his boyfriend so completely insatiable. He was completely wrecked within an hour but it was the best kind of tiredness you could ever experience.

“Dani?” Marc asked as the older rider was sprawled out on the bed, still wet, lying face down in the covers.

“NO, Marc. Not again. Jesus, are you even human. I can’t go again until I’ve eaten and slept for a little while!” His voice was a little bit muffled by the duvet but Dani was still satisfied that he managed to get his message across.

The younger man chuckled and shook his head, scooting over so that he was sitting right next to where his boyfriend was lying. “It’s okay, I don’t want you for sex- well, not _now_ anyway. I was just going to ask if you wanted to order take out and watch a movie.”

Dani’s head snapped up and he watched his boyfriend through narrowed eyes. “And you won’t try to have sex with me?”

“God! I’m the pregnant one, Dani! I should be the one that gets tired quickly,” Marc teased, wide innocent eyes almost making the older rider rethink his question.

“ _Quickly?_ That was not quickly! You’re the one with the pregnant sex hormones!”

Marc shook his head once again and bent down so he could kiss his boyfriend. _Just wait until we’re actually on holidays… That’s going to be tiring._ “Whatever you say. And, no, I’m not going to try to have sex with you. I promise. Just a movie and food, lots of food.”

_Food sounds really good._ “Mmm, okay.” Dani surprisingly actually managed to pull himself up off the bed and find a t-shirt and sweatpants that he could wear because it certainly wasn’t summertime in Switzerland anymore. He made a mental note to turn the thermostat up. “We need to watch the time though because our flight is early tomorrow morning and we still haven’t packed.”

_Aha! See that’s where you’re wrong!_ Marc grinned and hopped off the bed, pulling a suitcase out from underneath it and flipping it open to display a variety of neatly packed clothes. “Here’s one I prepared earlier.”

“Wow. You really must have been bored.”

“Be quiet. Now this means that I can just help you pack and it will be done twice as quickly!” the younger rider declared triumphantly and pulled Dani’s lips to his once again. 

“Great…” Dani replied but smiled into the kiss anyway.   _No rest for the wicked._


	45. Mediterranea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry about the long wait! This chapter was just the worst to write but it''s finally done. Thank god! And ¡Feliz cumpleaños! my baby Dani :D ♥ ♥ ♥ Chapter title is from the Duran Duran song of the same name which I absolutely adore. Seriously, listen to it ;) Next chapter, because it's number 46, will include lots of Valentino ♥

“I don’t understand why we had to make _two_ stops. We only needed to get from Geneva to Greece!” Marc complained as the lugged their carry-ons through a very busy Athens Airport, trying to get to the gate in time to catch their connecting flight. Everything would have been fine if their previous flight hadn’t been delayed departing Munich for forty minutes.

Dani, who was more than a little bit amused by how irritable his boyfriend was getting from all the travelling, tried his best not to chuckle as his eyes darted from left to right in search of their gate. “Yes, but we’re not just going to Greece so… You wanted somewhere that would still be warm, didn’t you? Somewhere you didn’t need to irrationally worry about getting some tropical disease or getting bitten by some deadly spider. I promise you, when we get to the villa it will be all worth it.”

The younger man didn’t get a chance to say anything else, stopping dead in his tracks and almost causing Dani to walk straight into him. “There! There it is!” _Finally._

_Finally._

*

“Are you sure this one is it?”

Marc looked at the information sheet in front of him once again, comparing the name to the one carved on the ornate stone sign just outside the gates of the house. “Yeah, this is it. We’re here! We’re finally here!” Deliriously happy was probably a good way to describe the pregnant rider at that moment in time. It was about time; they’d left their house over twelve hours ago and he was sick to death of being _almost_ there. He didn’t even wait for instruction, undoing his seat belt and getting out of the car so that he could key the code into the electric gates.

With the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning, the younger rider hopped back into the car again and they made their way up the driveway. It wasn’t long before their villa came in to view.

“Wow. Dani, I know I complained non-stop about you taking over things but you did a very good job.” Marc sat there, not moving from the passenger seat even after his boyfriend had taken the keys out of the ignition. Standing proudly there in front of them was the most beautiful villa that he had ever seen; three floors, white wash, shutter windows and balconies…

Dani grinned widely and reached across the centre console to place an affectionate kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek. “I told you. Now do you want to sit out here all day or do you actually want to have a look _inside_?”

Marc moved his head so that their lips were now touching properly. “Inside sounds like a good idea.”

Dani insisted that Marc go ahead and unlock the door while he carried the bags up the front step, not wanting the heavy luggage to put any strain on him. The pregnant rider huffed and declared that he was still very much able-bodied but he was too occupied with founding out what the housekeeper had stocked the fridge with to put up too much of a fight.

Turns out the inside of the house was even more impressive than the outside. After unlocking the door, Marc felt his jaw go slack as he took in the interior; cream marble floors as far as the eye could see, a beautiful spiral staircase in the corner going upstairs and downstairs, everything beautifully open plan and so… Grecian.

“So?” Dani’s voice sounding suddenly from behind him almost caused him to drop the keys, “Does it get the Marc Marquez stamp of approval?” he chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s torso, placing a soft kiss on his neck.

“Definitely. Have I ever told you that you have impeccable taste?” Marc wondered, spinning around so that Dani’s arms were now on the small of his back.

“I think it was implied.” _Every time you show me just how amazing you are. And that is a lot._

The pregnant rider hummed contently to himself, bouncing slightly. “Well I’m telling you now. So what do you want to do first?”

Dani pressed his lips against the younger man’s but it certainly wasn’t as chaste as before. In a matter of seconds Marc’s tongue ran over them, looking for entrance which was quickly granted. Their lips and tongues collided eagerly and greedily for a moment before the older rider remembered that he had come prepared with a plan. His pulling away suddenly elicited a little groan of displeasure for Marc, eyes remaining closed. “I need to get you fed first. Don’t want Roser Alenta showing up at the front door because she thinks I’m neglecting her favourite eldest son…”

_I couldn’t think of anything worse…_ “No. We _really_ don’t want that, do we?” _I must have done something really good in my past life to deserve such an amazing boyfriend._

 

Food was kinda rushed, an easily made pesto pasta salad to keep Marc fed and satisfied and to cater for his impatience. Once they had finished eating, Dani offered to put the plates in the dishwasher as Marc bounded up the stairs like the five year old boy he was at heart. The older rider was honestly disappointed to find the current size of his bump hadn’t hindered his running or moving in any way. He honestly couldn’t wait for the day when Marc started waddling

Marc was already in his swimming trunks by the time Dani even made it up the stairs. The first thing he noticed was the explosion of clothing that had seemed to already occur in the bedroom. _Looks like he didn’t exactly think this packing thing through…_ The pregnant rider looked up from where he was pulling out a towel and smiled sheepishly, grabbing armfuls of clothes and stuffing them back in the suitcase.

Dani just shook his head and chuckled, moving over to where his back was lying next to his side of the bed. Unlike Marc, he had foreseen such a situation and therefore had packed all his swimming gear (and other necessary supplies in case it had gone a… _different_ way). Knowing that it wouldn’t be long before his boyfriend grew impatient once again, Dani quickly dressed and grabbed his towel and flip flops before they made for the stairs once again.

_I need to get this over with,_ Dani thought as he eyed the very elegant but very steep rounded staircase.“Marc, I’m just warning you now; don’t fall down those stairs. Please. And don’t give me that look. You know what I mean.”

The younger man looked indignant. _Are you calling me clumsy?!_ “There’s as much a chance of you falling down the stairs as there is of me!”

“Yes, but it doesn’t matter if I fall down the stairs. Well, it kinda does but I’m not carrying our child so can you please just humour me?”

Marc grinned and draped his arms over Dani’s shoulders. “Aaaw! You’re being all protective of us!”

He wanted to grimace at his boyfriend but found the task nearly impossible. _You’re just too adorable for your own good. Especially when you refer to yourself and the baby as ‘us’._ Instead, Dani leaned his head against Marc’s and intertwined their fingers. “That’s my job.”

“Okay, I promise not to fall down the stairs.”

“Good. That’s all I ask.”

 

It really wasn’t that warm outside. Well, it was late November so the weather was as good as could possibly be expected (around 18 degrees) and it was late in the evening but that wasn’t going to deter them from making use of their own very private pool that was just down a step or two from the terrace. It was that time of the day when the sun was just about ready to set, casting an orange glow over the very blue sea that could be seen perfectly from the pool’s edge.

The sight sent shivers down Marc’s spine. He really had to admit that Dani had outdone himself with the whole thing. It was everything he needed and more to just relax and unwind after the stress and pressure of the past couple of months. And it would also be their first and last holiday alone before they were no longer just Dani and Marc; soon they would be Dani and Marc _and_ baby Marquez-Pedrosa. “It’s beautiful.”

Dani wrapped his arms around the younger man’s front once again, letting his hands lie this time over Marc’s little bump. “You’re beautiful.”

“ _Wow_ , Pedrosa. This is probably the cheesiest thing I have ever heard in my life.”

“Be quiet. I’m trying to be romantic!”

Marc was just about to open his mouth to make a smart come-back to that when he felt the hands move from around his waist and suddenly he was hoisted up into his boyfriend’s arms for the second time in as many days. “Agghh! Dani!”

Being the evil bastard that he was, Dani just chuckled. “You better hold your nose…” Before Marc even got a chance to do that or compute what the older man was saying, Dani jumped off the side of the pool and into the water, holding on to the pregnant rider tightly as they both went under with a massive splash. After what seemed like a lifetime since the water wasn’t exactly bath temperature, they broke the surface once again, Marc still clinging to his boyfriend for dear life and looking completely shocked.

“You could have at least given me some warming!” the younger man squealed and splashed watter in the other man’s direction.

“I did give you warning! I told you to hold your nose!”

“Who holds their nose when they go into the water-“

Dani silence his boyfriend the best way he knew how: by planting a big kiss on his lips. He felt Marc’s frown gradually disappear, turning into more and more of a smile as their lips moved softly together. They could both taste the chlorine on each other’s mouths but both were far from caring. Marc had to admit that Dani definitely succeeded when it came to romance. Kissing in the pool of their amazing villa, under the orange setting Grecian sun, looking down on all the white houses and boats floating in the glistening Mediterranean Sea… It wasn’t such a bad way to spend two weeks.

“Thank you.”

Dani frowned at the heartfelt statement that seemingly came out of nowhere. “For what?”

Marc bit his lip and shook his head. “For… just everything. I know things haven’t exactly been easy to deal with over the past four months and I just want to thank you for making everything so much better. You don’t even understand how much better everything is now.”

_Oh I do, I_ really _do._ “I understand, believe me. But that’s just as much you as it is me. Personally, I think we’re both just incredibly lucky. You know I’d do anything for you and I know you’d do anything for me. You’ve already proved that,” he smiled softly and placed his hands over Marc’s little bump once again. _I still can’t believe you did that. You’ve given me so much, I can’t even put how grateful I am into words._

Marc’s mouth was suddenly on his, kissing him as if they had been apart for weeks. But Dani noticed the little things; how the younger man tightened his hold on him, how he began to tremble slightly… And Marc looked at him in a way that showed that all his cards were on the table, he could see it in those heartbreakingly beautiful big brown eyes. “I’m scared, Dani. I’m scared about the future.”

_I know you are. Because I am too. I’m completely terrified._ “Me too. But that’s okay. There’s a lot to figure out but I think we’re doing okay. Everything is going to be okay, alright?”

The pregnant rider bit his lip but nodded, at least some of the anguish melting from his eyes. “Alright.”

Dani couldn’t even begin to describe his feelings for Marc in that moment. They were just so overwhelming that he wanted to sing for joy and cry at the same time. Because he had never loved anyone the way he loved Marc Marquez and he knew that that was never going to change. “Good. Now remember what I said. No worrying for the next two weeks.”

_Except there is something that I have to worry about._


	46. Black Eyed Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is the chapter I have been excited about for over a month! Although it didn't exactly turn out the way I had planned, I'm excited to finally introduce it into the storyline! It's been driving me crazy (which some of you already know) ;) Anyway, enjoy! ♥

Jorge frowned to himself as the name ‘Dani’ flashed across the screen of his phone. “Why the hell is Dani Pedrosa ringing me at ten o’clock at night?” he mumbled to himself.

Ricky, who had been peacefully lying, head in his boyfriend’s lap, watching the television jumped up and sent him a very disapproving look. “Answer it! What if something’s wrong with Marc or the baby?”

The older rider wanted to come back with something along the lines of ‘why the hell would _he_ ring _me_ if something was wrong with the baby’ but from the look Ricky was currently giving him, he decided that that wasn’t exactly the idea of the century. So he did what people generally do when their phone rings, he answered it. “Hello?”

“Jorge, hi, it’s Dani.”

The Mallorcan rolled his eyes and threw his head back slightly. “Yes, Dani, I know. I have your number… What’s up? Aren’t you like in Cyprus?”

“Crete and there’s something I need to ask you…”

“Why are you whispering?” Jorge replied in an equally hushed tone.

“I’m the bathroom so I can talk without Marc hearing…”

_Okay this is getting weirder by the second._ He looked to his boyfriend who was still watching him with wide inquisitive eyes and just shrugged. “Okay… Go ahead.”

“It’s about Alex…”

*

Alex picked up the full to the brim shot glass off the tray and paused for a moment, mentally preparing himself for what was about to come before downing the small measure of Jaeger. Those around him (thankfully, his father was no longer included in that group) cheered as the young and very corruptible rider grimaced as the liquor made its way down.

Pol, more than a little inebriated and having far too much fun, loosed his grip on his brother’s shirt more a moment in order to high-five the Moto3 rider. “Let’s do another round!”

Alex looked like he was very much ready to agree to that but Vale, noticing the way he swayed slightly, decided it was time to intervene. “You guys go ahead, I’m going out for a smoke. Alex, you want to come keep me company?” he asked, putting on his trademark Valentino Rossi smile, knowing very well there were few that could resist it.

Thankfully, the youngest Marquez seemed to be very much on board with that suggestion, replying with an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’ before realising it came a bit too quickly and frowning slightly. None of the others were in their right minds enough to notice but Valentino certainly did. The Italian chuckled and placed his hand on the younger man’s forearm to steady him a little as they made their way through the crowd and to the doors out on to the patio just across the room.

Vale stepped outside first, cold air hitting him instantly, and held the door open for Alex who quickly followed. Unsurprisingly, given that the midnight winter temperature was now only five degrees above freezing, the terrace was completely deserted. _If this doesn’t sober you up I don’t know what will._ He pulled out the fresh pack of cigarettes that he’d bought especially for the night, knowing he had the tendency to smoke more when he had some drink in him, and his lighter with the Italian tri-colour on it.

Pulling out one for himself first and placing it between his lips, Vale offered the box to the Spanish rider. “Want one?”

“No,” Alex replied instantly, looking a bit scared of the pack, “My mother would kill me if she caught me smoking… if Marc didn’t first.”

_Ah, so you’re still sober enough to remember that._ “Smart. It’s not a good habit to make…” He lit up and inhaled deeply, letting the smoke out in a puff that mixed with the cold air. “I’ll tell you something; I’ve come in contact with quite a few people in my time but I have never seen anyone to consume alcohol like Pol Espargaró. Although Cal is a close second place.”

“Really?” the Moto3 rider asked, genuinely curious now, “What about Marc?”

“Pfff, lightweight. He’s got around a three drink limit.”

“Dani?”

“Dani’s definitely better at holding his drink than Marc but he’s still small.”

“Casey?”

“Always a lot more sensible than any of us.”

Alex racked his brain for more names but something different occurred to him, something far more interesting. He cocked his head to the side, a glint of curiosity mixed with something else now in his incredibly black eyes. “What about me?”

Vale stopped and paused this time, fully appraising the young and unexperienced rider. It was crazy to think that he and Marc were so alike yet so different at the same time. “I’m pleasantly surprised. You’re still very young and it’s obvious you’re not used to drinking like this but you definitely handle it better than Marc. But you’ve got a lot of potential,” he laughed, taking another pull of his cigarette.

Looking at Alex again, _really_ looking this time, Vale came to realise that while, yes, he and Marc obviously looked like brothers, there were some startling differences between the two of them. And one of those differences was a certain something that the Yamaha rider just couldn’t put his finger on.

The Spaniard grinned and sat down on one of the patio chairs, not caring that the left over droplets dampened his jeans. “I’m flattered.”

Vale contemplated remaining standing for a moment before deciding that Alex obviously didn’t want to go back inside in a hurry and sat down next to the taller man. “You should be.”

*

“Not answering?”

Jorge shook his head and let the phone fall into his lap once again. “I don’t know why Dani thought he would answer _me_ if he wouldn’t even answer his own brother. Like he’s going to be like ‘Yeah, I’ll discuss my problems with Jorge Lorenzo’!”

Ricky bit his lip. This all felt a bit strange to him. “Dani must have honestly thought that you would be able to get through to him. You’re removed from the situation.”

_Yes, I_ am _removed from the situation. So removed I haven’t got a fucking clue what’s going on._ “Maybe…”

“What about Julia and Roser? Surely they know what’s going on?”

Once again the older rider shook his head. “They decided to go on holidays at the same time as Marc and Dani. I think Julia convinced her too so that her mind would be taken off the fact that Marc is gone for two weeks. So, lucky for _everyone_ little Marquez is left at home alone and big Marquez is freaking out.”

Ricky thought about it for a moment, thought about it properly. _This probably won’t make sense but…_ “He was acting weird when we saw him in Valencia.”

“Well, yeah but he was really hungover-“ Jorge’s eyes widened as he realised what his boyfriend was getting at. Ricky, seeing that the older man was on the same page once again, simply nodded sheepishly. The Yamaha rider scowled. _Of course he’s involved in this. Why am I not surprised?_ “I guess I have to call Valentino.”

“Yeah, you do.”

*

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you please stop laughing? You may not be as loud as your brother but it’s still one o’clock in the morning and people are asleep…”

Alex, who was neatly tucked under the Italian’s arm so that he didn’t fall or go missing (because Vale was tipsy but Alex was… a bit more than that), smiled apologetically and quickly pressed his index finger to his lips. “Sorry…”

Vale just shook his head and chuckled (a lot quieter than the Moto3 rider) to himself as they continued down the long corridor in search of Alex’s room. “What number are you again?”

“12.”

_Wow. You are drunk._ “I know _you’re_ twelve. I meant what number your _room_ is.”

“Oh!” The younger man began to giggle loudly again, earning an urgent ‘shh’ from his fellow rider. “Oops! Sorry! I’m 246. Like you but with a 2 in front of it!”

The Italian really couldn’t help but grin at that. _Maybe I wasn’t that right about your capacity to drink. Because this is classic Marc Marquez…_ “244… 246! Here we are.”

Alex frowned and pouted, obviously having forgotten why they were actually going to his room. “But I don’t have any drink in my room.”

“Yes and that is a very good thing. I brought you up here to get you _away_ from alcohol so that you can sleep it off, not drink more.”

“Pff. No fun!”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” Vale joked and held his hand out expectantly, “Key please.”

Alex made to remove the plastic card from his back pocket but something made him stop. A thought to be exact- a thought that seemed irresistibly enticing now that he had a couple of drinks in him. Those impossibly blue eyes and those luscious lips had him completely transfixed and the Spaniard had absolutely no idea why. But it was something he’d thought about before; especially in the past week or two when Vale’s relationship with Marc and Dani had become even more open than it was before…

So Alex decided if there was ever going to be a good time to act on that, this was it. Before he could change his mind, the young rider took a step forward, feeling as if his legs would go from under him and his heart would burst in his chest at any moment. And the strangest thing was that Valentino didn’t see it coming; he didn’t notice how those light brown eyes had become insanely dark and dangerous…

Before the Yamaha rider could figure out what was going on, Alex’s lips all soft and gentle and timid were on his, inexperience showing as they remained still for a moment before finally beginning to move.

*

_You better answer._

“Jorge? What’s up?”

_Well at least I finally get through to someone._ The Mallorcan suddenly sat up straighter, watching Ricky watch him, curious eyes waiting for even the slightest change in expression. “Hi, Vale. Hmm… there’s really no good way to put this but I need to talk to you about Alex Marquez…” His simple sentence was met with an impenetrable silence on the other end of the line and Jorge squeezed his eyes shut as his suspicions were more or less confirmed. And, for some unknown reason given the parties involved, Jorge felt his stomach sink. “Yeah… I figured you knew what I was talking about…”

*

His crystal blue eyes were suddenly an awful lot wider as Vale actually realised what was going on and he froze completely, unable to move an inch for nearly twenty seconds as Alex’s lips continued to move against his. Eventually, he regained control of his body and acknowledged the alarm bells that were now ringing at a crazy pitch inside his head. Grabbing the youngest Marquez’ hands that had now found their way to his chest, Valentino pulled back, staring him down with complete and utter incredulity.

_Oh my god. Is this actually happening?_ “Woah, woah, _woah_! Alex! What are you doing?!”

“Kissing you. What does it look like?” the Moto3 rider replied with a nervous smile before making to bring their lips together once again.

Vale grabbed hold of his shoulders and took a large step back. “Yeah… I can see that. But why?”

Alex smiled sheepishly somehow managing to look innocent and the complete opposite at the same time as only he could. _Don’t. Don’t you dare look at me like that._ “I want to see what Marc likes so much…”

_Ah, so that’s what this is about. Some kind of hero worship thing._ Looking around quickly to ensure that there was no-one around to hear that that shouldn’t, Vale turned back to the younger rider, a very rare very serious expression on his face. “Okay, you need to give me the key to this room right now.”

Eyes now wide in shock, Alex swallowed hard after hearing the completely unusual outburst from the easy going Italian. Suddenly feeling as if he had made the biggest mistake of his life, he handed over the key with shaky hands, completely avoiding any kind of eye contact.

Vale concentrated every last ounce of his focus on opening the door, jaw clenched all the while, and held it open for Alex to go in. “You first.” _I hope to god I know what I’m doing…_

*

“Jorge-“

The younger of the two riders gritted his teeth and tried his hardest to refrain from losing his cool at what he had just heard. _This is such a mess. Just a complete and utter mess._ “Don’t you dare ‘ _Jorge_ ’ me. I’m serious, Vale. Someone needs to sort this out and not make the situation even worse than it is. I’m going to book a flight to Barcelona tomorrow and I am going to drive to Cervera and talk to him.”

Ricky, who was like a dog with a bone waiting for the conversation to finish so he could find out exactly what was going on, frowned at that obviously surprised at the turn things had taken. _What the hell is going on?_

“No!” A sigh, “I’ll do it. I’ll get on the first plane out there and _I_ will drive to Cervera and _I_ will talk to him. I at least owe him that much.”

_You owed it to him not to put him in this position in the first place._ “Yeah, you do,” Jorge grimaced.

“Please don’t tell Dani about this, Jorge. I’m begging you. Dani won’t be-“

“Able to keep it from Marc. I know, I won’t,” the phrase ‘sickeningly in love with your brother’ came to mind once again, “But you better fix this. Because if you don’t, Marc is going to find out.”

“I know. I _know_.”

*

“Marc is no reason to do this, Alex! I know he’s your brother and you look up to him and whatever but just because he kisses guys doesn’t mean that you automatically have to-“

“I know I don’t have to, Vale! I know, okay? That’s not all this is about. Do you ever think for a moment that actually want to kiss you? Yes, I’ve been curious ever since I found out that Marc preferred boys over girls but it’s you that made me want to try. So don’t tell me I’m doing this for the wrong reasons. Because there is no other reason.”

Vale was left completely stunned by the younger man’s words and the conviction with which he spoke them. So much so that he remained perfectly still for a moment, letting the revelation hang in the air. And once it had finally sunk in, the Italian did something that neither had been expecting: he took a step forward and pulled Alex’ face to his once again.

The Moto3 rider didn’t need to be invited twice.


	47. To The Heart and Mind, Ignorance is Kind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you seemed to like the last chapter! :D Because this is a part of the storyline that I have been excited about for a while now!  
> I also nearly messed this whole section up because I think of end of season as summer holidays instead of winter holidays for some strange reason and I actually had to google where the warmest places in Europe are at that time of year. (Couldn't have pregnant Marc picking up some tropical disease ;)) One of the first answers I found was- drumroll- Barcelona! And I was like ' _Great_. I'll send them all the way on holidays to _Barcelona_!' So that's where Crete came from :P  
>  And let's not mention the word that begins with F and ends with 1...

Another wave of guilt washed over Alex as he watched Marc’s name pop up as an incoming call once again. This was getting out of hand. If he knew one thing for sure it was that he didn’t want to talk to anyone, including the one person who has been there for him through little up and down in his life so far. But Alex couldn’t hold out for much longer. It wasn’t fair on Marc to do so. The poor guy was probably having a heart attack and searching for the quickest flight home as it was and he really didn’t want to be responsible for ruining his brother’s well-earned holiday.

So, as hard as it was, the Moto3 rider actually picked up the phone this time and waited for the explosion that would inevitably come.

“Where the _fuck_ have you _been_?! Why haven’t you be answering your phone?! Did something happen?”

Alex squeezed his eyes shut and tried his hardest not to cry at the sound of his brother’s voice. _Don’t cry, Alex. Please don’t cry._ “Nowhere. Sorry, my phone has been on the missing list for the past couple of days. I’m sorry you were worried.”

There was a brief moment of silence on the other end of the line. _Wow, Marc Marquez speechless? I never thought I’d see the day._ “You lost your phone?”

He somehow ended up forcing a smile even though his brother couldn’t see it. Like if he just pretended to smile it would make things better. “Yeah. I searched everywhere. Turns out it had just fallen down behind the couch. You should see the place. I tore it apart looking!” That last bit wasn’t a lie but the circumstances were. Alex briefly looked around the sitting room, cringing at the mess he had managed to make in the last couple of days. _But tidying is the last thing on your mind when you spend the days and nights alternating between crying and brooding._

The youngest Marquez knew it was a stupid reaction, he wasn’t fourteen anymore. He was just completely shocked by how much it actually hurt. He figured he could handle the rejection if the time came… Turns out he couldn’t.

“Oh. So there’s really nothing wrong?”

He smiled again although it was getting more painful each time. “No, nothing is wrong. So you can stop worrying now. It’s not good for the baby. Or Dani.”

Marc chuckled and from what Alex could hear it was out of pure relief. “I was _concerned_. It’s not like I was freaking out or anything…”

“Of course you weren’t… Now I’m guessing there’s lots of stuff you want to fill me in on?”

As per usual, his brother didn’t need to be asked twice. Alex ended up getting all the details about the flights (the plural being the important thing there) and the Villa and how amazing everything was… And he couldn’t help the tears that began to trickle down his face as Marc reminded him of just how perfect and caring and sweet Dani was. The worst part was that he knew full well that he was being completely stupid; that they were just drunk, nothing more, nothing less. But that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt like he had been punched in the stomach. It _really_ hurt.

But the worst part was the realisation of something that he really should have thought of before… _he_ wasn’t Dani. And that wasn’t really a problem, it just was what it was. Alex couldn’t change that and he really should have expected it. Because not everyone can be _Marc_ and _Dani_. Which was something that he hadn’t even known he had been looking for until he was lying in his own bed the night they had returned home from Valencia. And that little revelation only made the hurt worsen.

But Alex let his brother carry on regardless, because that’s just what brothers do. He may have zoned out quite frequently and gotten even more upset, but the Moto3 rider made it seem to Marc like everything was as it usually was.

They had been talking (or rather Marc had been talking) for half an hour when the doorbell rang.

At first Alex broke into a cold sweat as the first thought that entered his head was that his parents had come home early from their holiday before he quickly realised that they wouldn’t and on the off chance they did, they wouldn’t ring the doorbell. But a part of him was thankful, because it gave him the opportunity to get Marc off the phone.

“I have to go, there’s someone at the door. But I’ll talk to you tomorrow?” the younger Marquez said as he got up from where he had been perched on the edge of the couch and began walking in the general direction of the door.

“Oh, okay. I’m just happy that you’re okay. And that you’re not dead or something.”

 _And that you’re not dead or something._ “Well I am and no, I’m not dead. Have a good night.”

“Oh, I will! Talk to you tomorrow!”

The line went dead quickly after that and Alex removed the phone from his ear, keeping it in his hand as he made his way down the now dark hall and to the door. Before he got there, the bell sounded again and the young rider scowled. _Go away. Who the hell would be calling at ten o’clock at night?_

Knowing he would soon find out, Alex moodily pulled the door open, phone falling from his grasp and hitting the (thankfully) carpeted floor with a dull thud at the sight of who was standing there.

Valentino Rossi. Standing at his front door. In Spain. Looking very sheepish and almost… nervous?

Upon the sight of his lover, the Italian released a breath that he didn’t even know he had been holding. “Alex… hi.”

 _Hi? …_ Hi _???_ Anger suddenly flooded through him, replacing what had formerly been complete despair. Valentino Rossi. In Spain. Right in front of him. And all Alex wanted to do was punch that stupidly perfect face of his. “What do you want?” he demanded through gritted teeth so that he didn’t bite a hole in his lip.

 _Yeah, that was the reaction I was expecting._ “To talk; I want to talk. We _need_ to talk.”

“I don’t think we do. You know what they say about actions speaking louder than words? Well, I got the message loud and clear. Goodbye, Vale…” Alex had always been told as a child how rude it was to close a door in someone’s face but at that moment he couldn’t care less about common courtesy.

Unfortunately, Valentino’s shoved his foot in quickly, effectively stopping the younger man from locking him out. Alex had to admit that he was a bit startled when he looked at the Yamaha rider’s face once again and saw genuine anguish in his incredibly blue eyes. “ _Please_ , Alex. I need to explain. And I’m not going to leave here until I do. I don’t care if I have to sit out here all night.”

 _I shouldn’t have answered the door._ Knowing that he wasn’t bluffing, Alex could do nothing except open the door wider once again, letting out an emotionally exhausted sigh as Valentino, who admittedly looked more surprised than triumphant, smiled sadly at him and stepped inside.

Vale tried to ignore the stab of guilt he felt when he saw the state of the place. He tried his hardest to put it down to the fact that Alex was a teenage boy whose parents were away for two weeks but a part of him knew that there was more to it than just that. That feeling only worsened when he caught sight of the crazy number of beer bottles littered around the place. _And they’re just belonging to one person. And I was the cause of that._

Alex saw the older man scrutinising the place and gave what ended up as a self-conscious shrug before continuing on to the kitchen which was at least a bit more presentable than the wrecked living area. But not by that much. Flicking on the full set of lights, the Moto3 rider took a moment to draw a deep breath and try not to cry while he was still facing the wall before turning to face the Italian once again.

“You wanted to talk. Talk,” Alex said bluntly as he leaned on the breakfast counter for much needed support.

Valentino had to fight really hard to resist the urge to shake his head. _This really isn’t you. I’ve ruined you and I really hope that I can fix it._ “I _really_ need you to understand-“

“Oh, I understand _fine_. Because it really is what it is. We got drunk, had sex and then you just left. And it wasn’t even just the hotel room- or even the hotel- it was the _country_ , Valentino. You left the country without even a word. You _left._ I had to find out from Jorge that you were gone.” Fighting the tears became even harder as Alex recounted out loud for the first time what had actually happened and the effect that that had on him.

The Yamaha just stared at the younger man for a moment in complete shock, seeing clearly the pain and moisture that was threatening to spill from his eyes at any moment. Alex waited for a brief moment for his fellow rider to say something and when he didn’t, he shook his head to himself in defeat. “But like I said, I understand. I understand that we were drunk. I understand that _I_ came onto _you_. I understand what it meant.”

 _You’re wrong. You’re_ so _wrong._ “You don’t understand, Alex. I’m sorry but you really don’t. That’s not what it’s like at all.”

“Oh yeah?” Now feeling a lot more defiant, the Spaniard folded his arms across his chest, “then why don’t you inform me?”

“Okay, fine. I will. Have you told Marc about what happened?” _And don’t lie because I already know._

Alex frowned. “No, I haven’t. Because it’s mortifying.”

Vale couldn’t help the twinge he felt at that. _The fact that I left or what we did?_ “That’s not the reason. You didn’t tell your brother because you knew that he would go absolutely crazy if he found out. And if you weren’t so blind you would clearly see that that there is the reason I left you in that hotel room on Monday morning.” _And you would know that this hurt me just as much as it hurt you._

His words were left to hang in the air as the much younger man all but gaped at the statement. The horrible feeling of rejection was quickly replaced by complete and utter shock as Alex carefully studied his lover’s face for any sign that he could be lying. He found none. Sincerity and regret were the only things that Alex could see in his expression and wide blue eyes.

 _No, I can’t believe you._ “What?”

Vale smiled sadly and moved, legs borderline shaky, from where he had been standing on the opposite side of the counter to a foot away from where the younger rider was standing. _I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m actually being straight and laying my cards on the table for once in my life._ “I wanted to say no to you, Alex; I really did. But when I saw that _you_ actually wanted _me_ I just couldn’t. So, even though I’m too old for you and Marc would absolutely murder me if he found out, I took one look into your eyes and saw how serious you were and I couldn’t walk away. I just couldn’t. It was already too late.” _I think it’s been too late for quite a while now…_

Alex heart began to thud violently against his chest once again and his breath hitched. The Italian was so close now that he wouldn’t have to reach his hand out far to touch him and the sudden proximity was completely overwhelming. _If you come any closer I think I’m going to pass out…_ “So… you mean-“

 _That’s the Alex Marquez that I love seeing._ “That even though it’s crazy and wildly inappropriate I still like you?” The MotoGP rider asked with a wry smile, eyebrow cocked. He received a very meek nod in reply to that. “Then yes, I do. And I seriously think I’m going to hell but I really don’t care anymore. _I really don’t care_ …”

Alex didn’t need to hear anymore. With incredibly shaky hands, he reached out and slowly pulled the older man’s lips to his, looking right into those bright blue eyes until the very last millisecond before their mouths actually touched. Feeling himself relax completely at the touch, Alex released the breath that he didn’t even know he had been holding. Vale’s hands, all warm and familiar, found their way to the back of his neck, holding him perfectly in position as their lips began to softly move together. Memories of that fateful night less than three days ago now only served to remind Alex of how amazing it had been, rather than weigh on him like a tonne of bricks.

After what seemed like forever, Vale pulled away again, resting his forehead against the younger man’s. “I’m sorry,” he half whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. For thinking the worst. It’s just…”

 _You really don’t need to explain that._ “I know. I _know_. But it’s okay now?”

Alex smiled bit his lip and nodded meekly. “Come to bed with me?”

Valentino didn’t reply. Instead, he placed another gentle kiss on the younger man’s lips and grabbed a firm hold of his hand. _You don’t need to ask._

The Spaniard, feeling brave and completely out of his depth at the same time, breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively led him in the direction of the stairs.


	48. You Set Your Marc On Stealing My Heart Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I am SO sorry that I haven't updated in a week! I just found it so hard to think about motorsport positively after Jules' accident... That and the fact that I have been incredibly busy this week meant that this kinda got put on the back burner for a bit. But I really hope this chapter makes up for that! Sorry I have really been lacking as far as commenting is concerned too! I'm trying to catch up with everything! Thank you so much for all your incredible support so far! Love you all! ♥ Mari  
> OH! Congratulations Marc! I just heard he was champion (late night last night :/) but I'm going to watch the race on ITV tomorrow and I'm very excited to see my baby crowned champion! ♥

“Good morning…” Dani, who had been lying on his side watching his Marc sleep with a peaceful smile on his face, greeted his boyfriend the second his eyes fluttered open.

 _What a perfect sight to wake up to._ Giving a little stretch and a yawn, Marc shifted so that he was only inches away from Dani and gently placed a kiss on his lips. “Good morning. How long have you been up?”

The older man gave a small shrug of his shoulders. “About fifteen minutes. I like when I wake up first. I love watching you sleep.”

“Don’t! I won’t be able to sleep from now on if I know that you’re watching me!”

“I’d say the chances of that happening are slim to none. I’ve never seen anyone to sleep like you…”

Marc, feigning complete indignation, gasped and poked his boyfriend in the chest. “Do I have to keep reminding you that I’m putting all my energy into successfully incubating _your_ child? And the fact that you’re keeping me up all night as well doesn’t make the situation any better!”

Dani pursed his lips. “Hmm… that’s true. Maybe we should just go to bed early tonight?”

“Pfff! Like that’s actually going to happen. But maybe we could start early and finish late?” Marc, now batting his eyelashes, scooted even closer to his boyfriend so that they were now perfectly flush against each other. One leg found its way over Dani’s waist.

The older man grinned and brought Marc’s lips to his. “That’s the best idea I have ever heard…”

*

The whole scene was unfamiliar for Valentino. That much he had to admit. Everything about it should have been disconcerting; the unfamiliar bed, the unfamiliar feelings, the very familiar Moto3 rider currently occupying the space in bed beside him… But yet it wasn’t and Vale couldn’t put his finger on exactly why that was. And that was okay, because he was more than content lying there as he was; naked with Alex’s body all warm and pressed against him.

Vale could have stayed there too; just watching and listening to the younger man breathe, if it wasn’t for his stupid phone that made him practically jump off the bed in surprise as it began to pollute the quiet of the peaceful bedroom. Feeling the sleeping Marquez stir beside him, Vale carefully reached down and fished for his phone in the pocket of his jeans that lay on the floor next to the bed.

_And I cracked my screen… How did that happen?_

That, however, was the least of Valentino’s worries when he saw who was actually calling him. _Jorge. Wow, you have the best timing in the world._ Fearing that his team-mate would come to wrong (or right in this case) conclusion if he didn’t answer, the Italian shimmied free of Alex’s grasp so that he could make his way out into the hall where there was a reduced chance of him waking his… lover? boyfriend? up.

“Hi, what’s up?”

“Vale, hi. Uhmm…” _You didn’t expect me to answer._ “Did you go to Cervera?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“AND?!”

 _And I begged for him to hear me out and he did and then I kissed him and fucked him again._ “And I sorted it out. Everything is fine.” _Everything is fine._

“Everything is _fine_? I don’t see how he could go from ignoring everyone to _fine_ in less than twenty four hours.”

“Well he did. We talked and he understands why I did what I did and everything is okay.”

“Okay then. So where are you now?” Jorge asked and Vale cringed at the accusatory tone.

 _Fuck. He knows. Or he at least_ suspects _._ “I’m on my way to the airport to head back to Bologna.” Vale was proud of how convincing that sounded. But then again, he was quite skilled in that art.

“Oh? What time is you flight?”

 _Fuck._ “Uhhh, twelve o’clock.”

“Vale?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s quarter past twelve now.”

In horror, the Italian pulled the phone away from his ear to check the time. Damn, he was right. Wow, they had been asleep for a long time… “Yeah, it’s delayed.” _How come lying becomes so hard when Alex is involved?_

“Cut the crap, Valentino. I know what’s going on, I’m not stupid. What the hell are you thinking? Jesus, Vale! The whole reason you left in the first place is because Marc would actually eat you alive if he found out you slept with his brother once, never mind _twice_!”

 _Twice? Go again._ Vale cringed and wearily rubbed his face. “I know. But you don’t get it. And neither would Marc. Maybe Dani would but…”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line and he was pretty sure that Jorge had just hung up on him. Groaning to himself, Vale began to remove the phone from his ear once again before the sound of his team-mate’s voice stopped him.

“You actually like him, don’t you?” The evident shock in the Spaniard’s voice startled him.

 _That’s the question. But yes, I think I actually do. There was really no other plausible explanation for how he felt when Alex was around. And it scared the shit out of him._ “Yeah, I think I do.”

A sigh. “Okay, fine. I won’t say a word to Marc or anyone. But if you’re actually serious about the kid then you really should consider coming up with a plan of action…”

“I know. And thank you. It’s just… so new that I really have no idea yet. I’m still finding my footing.” _I’m still coming to terms with the fact that an eighteen year old boy-_ man _\- got me like this._ It hadn’t been his first time with a man, but that had been _years_ ago and the whole experience seemed almost new this time. Especially since his first time hadn’t compared to Alex at all.

“Yeah… I get it. I _think_. Just please, Vale, don’t break his heart. Don’t break _him_.”

“I’m going to try my very best not to, I promise.”

After that they said their goodbyes and Vale decided to actually turn off his phone before he returned to Alex. When he did, he saw that the younger man was already very much awake and sitting up in the bed watching him with wide brown eyes full of concern.

“Who was that?”

Vale tried his best to smile (it usually wasn’t hard when Alex was around) but somehow it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Jorge. He put two and two together and figured everything out. Actually…” _I don’t want to tell you this but it’s better that you find out now instead of later,_ “There’s something I need to tell you but I want you to promise you won’t take it the wrong way, okay?”

Alex swallowed hard and nodded. “Okay.”

 _Right. Please don’t freak out…_ “It was Jorge who called me. The day before yesterday. Dani called him when you wouldn’t answer Marc’s phone calls and he remembered something about the morning after the party and he correctly assumed I had something to do with it. I thought that you would just forget about it. I thought it would be best to just leave you to forget about it. But it wasn’t and I just ended up hurting us both. I just want you to know that I came because I wanted to make it right not because Jorge Lorenzo told me to.”

Alex just sat there for a minute taking in everything he said, not moving an inch and hardly breathing. Jorge. Jorge had made the call. He suddenly felt sick and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was currently in the middle of a three day hangover. Using all the strength and self-control he could muster to actually move, Alex began to get up off the bed. He didn’t get far, however.

Vale, obviously anticipating such a reaction, grabbed a hold of the younger man’s wrist with almost cat-like reflexes. He tugged Alex’s arm firmly so that he was forced to stay on the bed, brown eyes burning into bright blue. “Don’t,” the Italian begged in a low voice, “ _please_. Every word I told you was the truth. Do you think I would have come just because I felt guilty? Do you think I would have said the things that I said last night? You know the answer, Alex. Tell me you don’t believe me.”

The younger man bit his lip for a moment, casting his gaze down onto the dishevelled duvet. “I believe you.” _I probably shouldn’t but I do._

A sense of relief washed over Valentino and he smiled to himself, that smile getting bigger when he felt that little troublesome flutter in his chest. _I can’t believe that you’re actually making me feel this way._ “Good. Because I know my… reputation probably precedes me but I promise you, Alex,” he gently placed his hand on the Moto3 rider’s cheek and manually returned Alex’s gaze to his once again, feeling even more relieved when he saw the soft smile that now occupied the younger man’s face, “This is different. This time is different. _You’re_ different. Okay?”

“Okay,” Alex nodded and intertwined their fingers, “ _Okay_. Just don’t break me like you’ve broken all of those…”

“Never. I can promise you that. _I only broke them because I’d been broken by someone. And you’re the only person that I’m sure could break me again._

*

“Dani?” Marc frowned and looked around the dim downstairs for his boyfriend. He had just gotten off of the phone with his mother upstairs and, as far as he could see, the older man was nowhere to be found. Kitchen was empty, living area was empty, bathroom was empty…

“I’m out here!”

Smiling, the pregnant rider casually made his way towards the closed double doors leading out onto the terrace. But there was absolutely nothing casual about what he saw when he got there. Marc was instantly stopped in his tracks by what he was greeted with, feeling his stomach almost plummet.

Since it was very late evening, the pool was beautifully illuminated as it was any other night they had been there so far. But this time there was a major difference. There must have been around two dozen candles innocently surrounding the pool on all sides, causing the light from the flames to flicker on the navy water. That wasn’t the main focus of his attention, however…

His eyes immediately went to Dani standing next to the small round iron table that he had moved into the very centre of the patio. And its contents were even more attention grabbing; a bottle of Moet was right in the centre, surrounded by more candles and a handful of rose petals.

_What the hell is going on? This isn’t what I think it is, is it…?_

Grinning at the completely floored expression on his boyfriend’s face, Dani chuckled nervously and took a deep breath, unable to believe that this moment had actually come. It was practically all he could think about since the before the podium in Valencia and now that the moment was finally here, he felt as if he would be physically sick as a result of the anxiety. He certainly hadn’t felt the need to have a shot of whiskey beforehand…

Wiping his palms- which had become embarrassingly clammy- on his jeans, Dani dipped his right hand into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box that he had been safeguarding for the past three weeks. Marc’s eyes widened alarmingly at the sight of the obviously very unexpected object and the older rider really hoped that it was just because he was surprised…

 _No, no,_ no _._

With incredibly shaky hands, Dani flipped open the box, revealing the two simple and classy gold bands that were nestled amongst the red silk. Drawing and holding one last breath to try and steady himself to at least some extent, the older rider sank down onto one knee in front of his boyfriend and the man that was going to give him a son or a daughter. _I’m definitely going to be sick. I just hope that I can put it off until I actually get the ring on his finger._

“Marc Marquez, when Honda told me that you were going to be my team-mate at the end of last season, I didn’t really have that much of an opinion. Sure, I had seen you race before and you were good- you were _really_ good-but you were just another team-mate and most importantly, you were inexperienced. I was actually thankful that they had chosen you because, if it came down to it, I would much rather have you, the rookie, on the other side of the garage than someone like Valentino Rossi.

“But then I got to know you. You weren’t Marc Marquez, the very promising Moto2 champion, you were just Marc, an annoyingly nice guy. And I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised. From the moment we spoke our first proper words to each other as team-mates, I knew our relationship wouldn’t be like any I’ve ever had with a team-mate. We became friends. And the more and more you showed just how brilliant and amazing you were, the more and more I thought that maybe you could be more to me than just my team-mate and friend. And then that night in Germany happened and I just couldn’t believe that you liked me enough to kiss me and, more accurately, to sleep with me.

“But you did. And every single minute of it was so perfect that I just couldn’t believe I hadn’t just been brave and made a move on you earlier. I was content at the shift in our relationship but it didn’t seem like enough. And when you started freezing me out over a month ago, I became the most horrible person to be around. I was angry and upset but most of all, I just felt stupid because I thought I should have seen it coming.

“But then you told me about the baby in Aragón and suddenly everything seemed a million times better. Because I hadn’t lost you, far from it actually, and when you told me you wanted to keep it, it was the happiest I had ever felt in my life. I love you so much, Marc, and I promise to love you and our baby for the rest of my life…

“So, would you do me the great honour of becoming my husband?”


	49. Just Say Yes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry I've been missing in action once again! I had really planned to update this on Tuesday because I was in a really good mood but then THAT match happpened (John O'Shea, John O'Shea, John O'Sheaaaa! You'd actually think we won the World Cup by the way we're acting over here ;)) And then yesterday was a disaster so I sat down and wrote it all today. And I managed to add something else I hadn't already planned into this one so this story is probably going to end up being around seventy chapters now! :P

_Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my_ god _. Is this actually happening?_

Marc just gaped as his boyfriend got down on one knee and said the nicest things that anyone had ever said about him before finally asking him to marry him. _This is probably the most important question I’m ever going to be asked and it’s happening right now…_ So many different emotions hit him at the same time; incredulity, anxiety, complete ecstasy… But most of all, just pure love and adoration for his team-mate, boyfriend and the father of his child. Tears began to well up and sting his eyes in the most perfect way and Marc clapped one hand over his mouth, not giving a damn about clichés. Because clichés were good sometimes, _really_ good.

_‘Would you do me the great honour of becoming my husband?’_

“Yes.” The word fell from his lips in a whisper as he stared right into Dani’s mocha coloured eyes that were both hopeful and full of evident anxiety at the same time. Nothing would have given him more joy than becoming Dani’s husband, Dani becoming his.

Feeling like a weight of fifty thousand tonnes was suddenly lifted from his chest but still feeling that it was all too good to be true, Dani dared to smile hopefully. “Yes?”

“ _Yes!_ You idiot! What did you think I was going to say?” Marc’s voice rose an octave as he flamboyantly stuck out his left hand so that his boyfriend- _fiancé_ \- could put the ring on his finger. Dani did so with great pride, sliding the gold band onto Marc’s slender finger with hands that were unbelievably shaky for someone who had just had his marriage proposal accepted.

It was more or less a perfect fit and the pregnant rider took no time to actually inspect the new piece of jewellery before boisterously hauling the older man to his feet, attacking Dani’s mouth with fervour that outdid the night that Marc informed his boyfriend that they were going to be parents in a couple of months. Feeling happier than he had ever been in his life, Dani wrapped his arms tightly around his intended’s back, the feeling of Marc’s warmth pressed up against him only doing more to reiterate the fact that this was actually happening, it was all real.

After a moment of kissing that was as intimate as it was passionate, the feeling of Marc’s bump pressed between their bodies making Dani feel just completely whole and complete, the younger rider pulled away. He freed himself of Dani’s grasp to reach over a pick up the little velvet box that his fiancé had since deposited on the table. Grinning to himself, Marc pinched the second band, equal in every way, between his thumb and his forefinger and tenderly took Dani’s hand.

The ring fitted Dani a little bit better than it fit Marc, of course, seeing as he was actually the one who bought the rings but it didn’t make the slightest bit of difference. The pregnant rider brushed his thumb over the new addition to Dani’s left hand, feeling completely euphoric. _It’s crazy that one little piece of metal can mean so much._ And it did; it meant more than words could ever say.

“You’ve just made me the happiest man alive,” Dani whispered against Marc’s ear, pressing their bodies firmly together once again. The whole scene was so incredibly perfect that it just made him want to cry.

“Not yet,” Marc grinned and replied in an equally soft tone, “the best is yet to come.”

After reluctantly moving from that position a couple of minutes later, Dani went inside to retrieve the champagne flutes that he made sure were there when planning the whole thing and Marc popped the bottle of champagne, the urge to spray it all over the place coming as second nature at this stage. Thankfully, all the contents were still in the bottle by the time Dani returned and he held up both of the glasses so that Marc could pour. The younger man quickly filled both glasses, Dani’s containing a lot more than his since he was still pregnant before placing the bottle down on the table once again.

With incredible pride and happiness, Dani raised his glass. “To us.”

Marc smiled his trademark smile and clinked his glass against his fiancé’s. “To us.”

 

“I cannot wait to see the look on my mother’s face when we tell her that we’re engaged,” Marc giggled as they lounged on one of the very comfy sun loungers despite the fact that the sun was long gone. He sat in front of the older man, nestled comfortably in between his legs and leaning back against Dani’s chest, still nursing the same glass of champagne.

Dani, who was now of his fourth glass, giggled in the way that only Dani Pedrosa could, the way that always filled Marc with joy. “Me neither. She’s either going to be over the moon with happiness or else she’s going to have a heart attack.”

“I really hope that it’s the first option…” Images of his mother breaking down and crying suddenly filled his head. No-one was ready for that…

“Me too! I think your dad is going to be happy for us anyway, Alex definitely will. So will my parents and Eric. Valentino will be over the moon…” He paused for a moment as if considering something before starting again, “Don’t judge me, okay? But I’ve actually been thinking about it- a lot, actually- and you know the way that same-sex marriage isn’t yet legal in Switzerland?”

Marc frowned. “Yeah?”

“Well, seeing as it’s legal in Spain and we’re both Spanish citizens, there’s no problem. Because if we get married in Spain then we can still live in Geneva and our marriage will still be recognised. It’s perfect! I know you were worrying about it but I just can’t believe that it’s that straightforward. Plus, I think both of us would have wanted to get married in Spain anyway, right?”

The pregnant rider had to admit that his head was spinning. It was almost too much information to take in. And then there was that knot in his stomach that was tiny but nevertheless still there… Swallowing hard but trying to keep his expression just as it had been before, Marc turned around so that he was now facing Dani once again. “Right. But there’s something I want to tell you before this gets completely out of hand…” _Damn. ‘Out of hand’ probably wasn’t the best way to describe it. Please don’t hate me._

Dani’s face fell instantly, a shiver running down his spine at the now serious expression on his fiancé’s face. “O-kay… Go ahead.”

Marc opened his mouth to speak but closed it just as quick, biting down hard on his lower lip. _I have to tell him now. I need to get this out in the open. Deep breath…_ “I want us to wait.”

_That was not what I was expecting to here._ “What?”

“Please don’t get me wrong, I do want to marry you. I want to marry you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life, I just don’t think right now is the right time. And before you say anything, it’s not because I have any kind of doubts about our relationship or that I’m dubious as to whether we’ll last or not… it’s just me. I’m only twenty one and I’m already having a baby… I don’t think I’m ready to become someone’s husband too. Even if that someone is the love of my life.

“I really need you to not misunderstand, because that’s the last thing I want. But with the whole pregnancy thing… I know it’s selfish and I’m so sorry but I think we should wait until after the baby is born.”

Dani just sat there in silence listening to the younger man rant. And when he actually heard what Marc had to say, the only thing he felt was relief- pure and utter relief. A million worse case scenarios had instantly began to run through his head, making him doubt the whole situation, but the moment he realised why his fiancé was saying what he was, he felt a million times better. Reaching out to take Marc’s hand (the one with the ring), Dani couldn’t help but smile. “I understand, believe me. And I am completely okay with that. You’re right; we need to actually adjust to our new roles as parents before we decide to take on another new role as well. And I know that being married wouldn’t make a difference to our relationship but it still changes things. Don’t worry, okay? We have plenty of time.”

“Thank you so much for understanding,” Marc smiled and squeezed his future husband’s hand tightly, “I was just so worried that that would be a deal breaker…”

_Nothing is a deal breaker when it comes to you._ “Well, it’s not. Like I said, we’re in no rush. Although telling that to our mothers might be a different story… They’ll probably have everything planned by the end of next month!”

Marc chuckled and nodded. “Which brings us onto the next question… when and how will we tell them all?”

“Soon, preferably. I’m not taking off my ring and they’re probably going to notice our new matching jewellery quite quickly so I think it’s best to just do it. I was thinking maybe we could invite my parents and your parents and Alex and Eric to dinner in Geneva and maybe we could break the news then? All at the same time so they can all be shocked together,” Dani suggested, a mischievous twinkle in his mocha coloured eyes.

“That sounds like a _really_ good idea. We could just say ‘Loved ones, we’re getting married. Discuss’ and then leave the room and allow them to digest.”

“Yeah… I think we can do better than that but it’s definitely a possibility,” the older man teased and received a pointy elbow in the ribs for his efforts. “And the best part is we can pass it off as a house warming get-together without them getting suspicious.”

“Yeah, that’s even better. What about Valentino?”

The older rider pursed his lips for a moment. “Not sure yet but it will have to be after that. We would be killed if Vale found out before them.”

Marc nodded again. “I guess so. Okay, good. But we have to make it clear that we’re not doing it straight away. Just so that everyone’s on the same page.” _Not referring to anyone in particular…_ The fact that Valentino Rossi had to be included in that group amused the pregnant rider to no end. The Italian would probably only want two things: to get them married as quick as possible and to be best man at the wedding. And neither of those were really possible. Maybe they would have to have three best men instead of just the one? But that kind of negated the whole idea of the ‘best man’…

“Absolutely.” _Wow, this feels so strange. We’re actually engaged._ It was touch and go there for a while as to whether or not Dani would actually be able to muster up the courage to ask Marc the all-important question but thankfully he got there in the end.

There was a brief lull in conversation for a moment before the widest grin Dani had ever seen appeared on the younger man’s face and Marc leaned forward and tenderly pressed their lips together. His heart was fluttering in his chest as he took in the magnitude of the situation. “We’re getting married…”

_And that is the most amazing sentence I have ever heard in my life. Well, after ‘I’m having your baby’ of course..._ Staring into Marc’s eyes and seeing the complete love and adoration always rendered him unable to believe that what they had was real. It seemed far too perfect to be real. And yet it was.“We’re getting married.”


	50. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry for the delay in updating! (And commenting) I had very good intentions to have this done by last night but instead I spent yesterday and today in the hospital with my best friend. But the good news is she's going to be fine and I'm home now so I could finally finish this. Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> And at the fifty chapter ~~marc~~ mark, I believe now would be a very appropriate time to re-iterate the fact that I am in no way implying that this is by any accounts true so... Just in case anyone had forgotten ;)

The rest of the holiday was nothing short of heavenly. Now that they had something else to celebrate, Marc and Dani found it physically impossible to keep their hands off each other. Their days were spent lounging on the terrace, getting close in the pool, getting closer in the shower… Marc had never felt as alive as he had those two weeks. It only served to make him even more conscious of the fact that Dani was his soul mate; the way the fit and suited each other couldn’t constitute anything less. Being away from all the pressure of being Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda MotoGP riders, and just being able to spend all their time together meant that they were both happier than they had ever been. And add a baby and an engagement to that and everything was just perfect.

Monday morning came almost too soon and Marc definitely wasn’t as organised as he had been the night before they left Geneva. Their flight wasn’t until three in the afternoon this time so Marc and Dani slept in late (or rather stayed _in bed_ late, there wasn’t much sleeping going on) and proceeded to throw all their possessions into their suitcases in a very unorderly manner when they realised that they had actually miscalculated their timing. It was a mad dash to the airport but thankfully they finally got on. The check-in was just about to close but they were still in time!

Marc crashed almost the second they were finished with take-off. He curled up against Dani’s side, head rested on the older man’s chest and mouth opened slightly, looking like the most adorable thing that Dani had ever seen. Peace (and exhaustion after two weeks of… strenuous activities) washed over the older rider and soon enough he fell asleep too, his head rested gently on top of his boyfriend’s- his _fiancé’s_.

Before they both knew it, they were back in Geneva. The exiting and boarding of the different planes seemed to pass in a bit of a blur, seeing as they were far too exhausted to do anything but drag themselves through the terminal to the other gates. Mercifully, there were no delays this time but they still didn’t get home until two o’clock in the morning. Once the car was parked up outside the front door and all the luggage removed, Dani contemplated walking down to the gate to collect all the post they’d missed out on in the past two weeks but ultimately decided that the only thing he really cared about at the moment was getting into bed and cuddling Marc until they fell asleep. All the mail would still be there in the morning.

 

Morning turned into mid-afternoon by the time they actually woke; or rather _Dani_ woke. Crete had been absolutely amazing but there was really no better feeling for Dani than waking up in their own bed, tangled up in a mess of limbs. He contemplated waiting for his fiancé to wake up but after a half hour of scrolling through Twitter on his phone, the older man realised that that probably wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

So, instead, Dani decided to do something productive. Getting dressed into the first set of clean jeans and hoodie that he could put his hands on, Dani left a note on the pillow for Marc before getting into the car and driving to the nearest shop to pick up some essentials that they were lacking after their getaway. He realised as soon as he reached his destination that half two in the afternoon wasn’t exactly the best time for going unnoticed (save the airport, neither he or Marc had been out in public where they could be freely recognised since the news of their relationship broke) but Dani knew that they couldn’t hide for the rest of their lives so he just got on with in.

Quite a number of people stared; some smiled, others merely looked on curiously. One guy actually scowled at him but it wasn’t until he turned around to grab a carton of milk that Dani realised that he was wearing a Lorenzo 99 t-shirt. The Honda rider chuckled to himself at the simplicity of it. _I just came out and the only disapproving look I’ve got so far is not because I’m gay but because the person is a Jorge fan._

Dani didn’t spend any longer than necessary in the store, wanting to get back to Marc as soon as possible. Or maybe before he even woke up from the way things were going. Not thirty minutes later, he was back home, putting all the shopping away. While he was in the middle of that, the sound of the toilet flushing upstairs filled his ears and Dani smiled as he heard the tell-tale sound of his fiancé padding around upstairs. _Sleeping beauty has awoken._

Knowing that Marc was probably ravenous, the older rider quickly stopped what he had been doing and got to work on making batter for some pancakes, which the pregnant rider had really taken a shine to while they were on holidays. They were on the menu nearly every morning, so often that Dani really doubted he would ever be able to look at pancakes the same way again but they made Marc happy and a happy Marc made for a happy Dani.

A minute or two later, a very sleepy looking Marc Marquez arrived at the bottom of the stairs, cheeks all puffy and hair completely unruly. Dani marvelled at the fact that he still managed to look like a sex god. But then again, Marc in any shape or form was a sex god to him. “Mo-hning,” the pregnant rider, wearing only an oversized t-shirt and boxer shorts that proudly displayed his bump, greeted him with a smile and a yawn.

Dani grinned and chuckled, leaving the pancakes for a moment so that he could wrap his arms around his fiancé and kiss him. “Morning? It’s more like good evening!”

That seemed to wake him up a bit. “What? It’s evening already?”

_It’s November and it’s still bright out… obviously your brain hasn’t started working yet._ “No, I’m only joking. But it is nearly three o’clock in the afternoon. I’ve already been to the shop and back.”

Marc craned his neck so he could see what the older man was preparing, his face lighting up instantaneously. “Pancakes! Have I ever mentioned that I love you?” the younger man asked playfully, leaning in for another kiss.

“You might have mentioned it once or twice… But if you don’t let go of me I won’t be able to actually cook said pancakes.”

The words had barely even left his mouth when Marc’s hands were pulled away as if Dani was on fire and the younger man took a step or two back. “Go ahead. My affection can wait until the pancakes are on my plate.”

_You’re an idiot? Do you know that? By you’re my very loveable idiot._ Dani shook his head to himself, fully aware now that at this point of the pregnancy food meant more to Marc than he did. _But there’s one thing I’ve got over food: food can’t give you orgasms. And that is something else that you can’t live without at this point. I win because I can give you both._

Eventually, Dani had to save the remainder of the batter for later on because there was absolutely no way that Marc had the patience to wait for the rest of the pancakes to be cooked. He covered it and put it into the fridge before putting the pancakes on a plate (there was no way Dani was eating any more) and set them down on the counter in front of his starving fiancé.

The pregnant rider frowned. “You’re not having any?”

“No. I’ve had enough pancakes in the past two weeks to last me a lifetime. I’m having fruit- something _healthy_ \- so I don’t get fat.”

Dani knew the minute the words had left his mouth that they were a mistake. That was evident when the fork stopped a couple of centimetres away from the younger man’s mouth before he had even taken the first bite. _Oh no… Oh no, no,_ no _. Please don’t-_

“Are you saying I’m _fat_?” Marc demanded, but the worst part of it all is that he wasn’t angry, he was just upset. His bottom lip began to quiver and his eyes were as sad as those of a puppy that had just been kicked.

_Fuck._ “No! That’s not what I meant! You’re eating for two, you need all those extra calories to feed the baby. I’m not so all the extra calories just make me fat.” _Nice save, Dani. That was a close one._

The younger man frowned. “Oh.” He then gave a non-committal shrug as if to say ‘Carry on’ before shoving the forkful of food into his mouth.

Dani made a cup of coffee and buttered a croissant for himself, grabbing a glass of orange juice for Marc, before sitting down next to him at the breakfast counter. They started discussing the ‘breaking-the-news’ dinner that they were planning on having for their families; when they would have it, even what they would cook. Of course, Dani had been nominated to do the food. Even if he hadn’t, he would definitely have assumed that duty anyway because there was absolutely no way that he was serving food made by Marc up to their loved ones. ‘Loved’ ones being the key word there.

They were just discussing the possibility of chicken with pesto and goats cheese wrapped in serrano ham as a main when Marc stopped talking mid-sentence and paled completely, hand immediately flying to his stomach.

Dani felt his stomach instantly drop. _Oh my god…_ “Marc? What’s wrong?”

“I think there’s something wrong with the baby!” the younger rider replied, face a picture of worry and distress.

Not knowing what to do, Dani jumped down off his stool and stood in front of his fiancé, taking his hands in an attempt to calm him down before he got too panicked. “Okay, tell me exactly what you feel.” He tried his hardest to hide the fact that he too was completely freaking out. _Please don’t let anything happen to my baby… or my fiancé._

Marc drew a couple of shallow breaths, nodding all the while. “I just felt this… jolt in my stomach. Like- oh! It happened again. Dani, I’m scared. I need my doctor…”

_Jolt… Ah._ A wide smile (much to the confusion and annoyance of Marc) took over Dani’s face as realisation began to set in. Looking his fiancé straight in the eyes, he squeezed his hands tighter. “Marc, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the baby.”

“I- What?! Dani, I’m telling you there is! I haven’t felt anything like this before!”

_Of course you would jump to the worst case scenario._ Although he felt incredibly protective of Marc and the baby, Dani couldn’t even begin to imagine how protective Marc felt of his unborn child. To have another human being growing inside of you that you are completely responsible for… That’s a lot of pressure. “Marc,” he smiled a lot softer this time, “There’s nothing wrong with him. I think he just kicked.”

A look of confusion took over the pregnant rider’s face before what Dani was saying really sunk in and his jaw dropped almost audibly. _Kicked?_ Now that he thought of it, the movement had definitely felt like something was kicking him. It wasn’t strong enough to hurt, but it definitely was strong enough to assert the baby’s presence. _Oh my god…_ That look of confusion quickly turned to one of complete delight as Marc realised that Dani was right and their baby had, in fact, just kicked for the first time. “He kicked! Dani, he _kicked_!” Quickly pulling his hands out of Dani’s grasp, Marc placed them flat on his rounded stomach.

Dani didn’t mind because he quickly followed his other half’s lead, placing his hands right next to Marc’s in hope of feeling some kind of movement. They waited patiently (or rather impatiently in Marc’s case) and not even thirty seconds had passed when they both felt a little jolt hitting their hands from the inside of Marc’s skin. It was amazing, just completely amazing. Dani had never felt love like he did just then, almost touching his child for the first time. Marc obviously was of the same sentiment as tears of joy began to trickle down his cheeks.

Almost as if he was sensing their presence, the baby kicked again but it was a bit weaker this time. The older rider chuckled joyously, looking Marc right in the eye and having a silent conversation with him. Everything Dani could ever need or want to know was right there in those big brown orbs.

_We made that._

_Yeah, we did._


	51. What's in a name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry for my unbelievably long absence! It's a very, very busy time of the year for me. I'll try to update as often as I can but the next few weeks just seem like deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. But it's a small price to pay when you love every single minute of it. Anyway, enjoy. And big thanks to 994527 and malu for getting me going again :D ♥

“Hey, you’re back!” Alex stepped out of the bedroom when his phone rang and he saw that it was Marc much like Vale had done with Jorge a couple of days ago. Only this time the setting was a lot different.

“Yeah, we got back late last night. But I don’t care about that, there’s something a lot more important that I have to tell you!”

The youngest Marquez smiled to himself, sitting down on the edge of the bathtub. “Well you better tell me before you explode then.”

His brother certainly didn’t waste any time. “The baby kicked, Alex! He _kicked_!”

Not expecting that at all, Alex’s jaw dropped slightly and his face lit up in complete delight. That might have been Marc and Dani’s baby but it was his nephew. Well, or niece depending on just how right the pregnant rider’s assumptions were but no-one really wanted to go _there_ again. “Oh my god! Seriously? Marc, that’s amazing!” _This is really happening. My brother is really having a child._

“I know! At first I thought there was something wrong because, obviously, I had never felt something like that before and I wanted Dani to bring me to the hospital but then he told me to calm down and that it was probably just the little one kicking for the first time and he was right! It was just incredible, Alex! He kicked even more when Dani and I put our hands over him!”

The Moto3 rider was more than a little bit amused at the fact that his first thought upon hearing this all was that his mother was probably going to be inconsolable for days when she found out. And it got him thinking about kids of his own and whether or not that would be a possibility someday. Not in the way Marc and Dani were doing it though. All fair dues to his brother but if it wasn’t a woman he settled down with (which he was really starting to expect wouldn’t happen now) any children would be of the adopted kind.

“That is incredible. I’m so happy for you, Marc. I can’t wait until I get to feel it for myself.”

“Actually… about that… Are you free on Friday? Dani and I were thinking of inviting the parents and the brothers to come stay the weekend in Geneva. As a… moving in celebration. What do you think? You haven’t been here yet and you’ll have to come check out your room sooner or later.”

 _My room?_ He suddenly felt a rush of affection towards his brother and his brother’s boyfriend. “I have a _room_?”

Marc scoffed. “Of course. We come as a package deal. You’re welcome here any time you want to come. But only if you agree to babysit every now and then!”

“Pff. Please. You’re going to have to prise him from my cold, dead hands.”

A very Marc-esque laugh filled his ears and Alex found himself laughing along with his brother. It had only hit him then just how much he had missed him while Marc and Dani were away. Valentino was a _very_ good distraction but he missed his older brother a lot. And it made him a little bit sad that now he had something to hide from him.

“I’ll remember that when it’s four o’clock in the morning and he won’t stop crying.”

Alex chuckled. “I’m not your nanny!”

“But isn’t that what adoring uncles are for?”

“The ‘adoring uncle’ duties finish after ten o’clock. Sorry, union rules.”

“That’s what negotiation is for. Anyway, what do you think? We won’t do it this weekend if you can’t make it…”

 _I don’t expect that I can bring a guest…_ Alex thought half-amused, half-darkly to himself as he fidgeted with one of those small bottles of shampoo that also served as body wash. “I’ll be there, of course.”

“Excellent! Don’t say anything to mom and dad yet- about the weekend or the baby. Are they home yet?”

He had to fight the urge not to scoff. “Not yet but soon. Within the hour or so.” _And that’s why I’m waking up in a hotel in Barcelona with my boyfriend who just so happens to be your boyfriend’s best friend._

“Okay, good. She’s probably going to contact me the moment she gets off the plane. I’ll talk to you again later on and we can sort out exactly what’s happening. Okay, love you, bye.”

He didn’t even get a chance to reply before the line went dead and Alex couldn’t help but shake his head to himself. There would inevitably come a time during this pregnancy that Marc would just crash and he had a feeling that it would happen sooner than later. No-one could be that intense and energetic all the time, especially when that someone was pregnant.

Alex got up once again, ass numb from perching on the edge of the tub for so long, he pulled the door open once again and made his way back into the bedroom. Vale was still lying face down on the bed, tan back only covered in the slightest bit by the brilliantly white hotel sheets. But Alex knew he was awake and sprung on top of him as gently as possible, attacking his neck with tickly kisses.

Vale laughed and used all his strength to roll over, keeping a firm grip on his boyfriend’s arms. “You shall not defeat me! Who was on the phone?”

Alex tried to free his arms but to no avail so he just relaxed against the older man. “My brother. He and Dani had a moment this morning. The baby kicked for the first time.”

The Italian’s eyes lit up in a way that just made Alex’s affection for him grow. _You care about this baby just as much as I do._ “That’s exciting. Marc must be delighted.”

“He is. And he’s really pushing along now. It’s kinda scary, you know? Soon he’ll be finding out the sex of the baby and then it will be coming and everything is going to change for them- for all of us.”

Vale scoffed and pressed a kiss against the Spaniard’s temple. “You may be right but there is something you’re very much mistaken about: Marc is _not_ going to find out the sex of the baby. Do you think he could deal with a doctor telling him that it’s _not_ a boy? Do you think _Dani_ could deal with a doctor telling Marc it’s not a boy?”

Alex couldn’t help but chuckle at that because it was the complete truth. God help the doctor who tried to tell Marc that it was a girl… “Very true. So really it’s a boy until proven otherwise… when the baby is born.”

The Italian grinned. “Exactly.”

 

“Marc? Can I ask you something?”

The younger rider had just finished conversing with his brother, mother and father and all of them were on board with the family gathering at the weekend. Dani had yet to make contact with his family but he was pretty sure that none of them would miss it. Well, he really hoped that they wouldn’t because he was just as excited as his fiancé about announcing their engagement. Marc had just climbed into bed again (they were just back from holidays and it was obligatory to spend the following day in bed, wasn’t it?) and had cuddled into his side.

“Yeah, of course. Go ahead.”

 _Right. Deep breath._ “Do you think that now the baby has kicked and we’re pretty safe that it’s maybe time to start thinking of names?”

Marc was completely silent for a moment before looking up at him with eyes as wide as they were excited and a smile to end all smiles on his face. “Yes! Yes, yes, _yes_. Let’s name him!”

 _Well I was only talking about thinking of names but if we find one that fits, sure._ “Okay,” Dani beamed and grabbed his phone from the bedside locker so that he could make a list. _I really hope that you have good taste or this could turn out to be the worst idea I’ve ever had…_ “So we might as well just… start? There’s no formal procedure for doing this, is there?”

The younger man chuckled and nudged him. “No there isn’t. So let’s start brainstorming…”

“Okay, first, can it be a rule that MotoGP names are out? Like no Jorges, Aleix/Alex/Axels, Pols or whatever?”

“That sounds like a very good idea. God, we would never hear the end of it if we called our child Pol… Or Jorge. Although no child of yours would ever be called Jorge,” Marc teased.

 _That’s for sure._ “Okay... So what about Lucas?”

Marc scrunched up his nose and Dani immediately knew that one was out. “I feel like everyone is calling their children Lucas these days…”

“I don’t know if that’s really true but if you don’t like it, you don’t like it. That’s okay.”

“Okay. Right. What about Gerard?”

Dani shot him one of his very best bitch-faces. “We are not calling our child after Gerard Piqué!”

Holding his hands up in surrender, the younger man chuckled. “I just like the name! It has nothing to do with Geri! But that looks like a ‘no’ to that one…”

He refrained from answering with ‘you think?’ for the sake of peace.

“Mikel?”

“No. Martín?”

“Ew, no. Xavier?”

“Hmm… possible. I’ll put it on the list… Jaime?”

“Sturdy, I guess. Put it on the list.”

“Bruno?”

“Absolutely not…”

It continued on like that for quite a while. They hated more names than they actually agreed on so the list Dani had compiled on his phone was quite limited: Xavier, Jaime, Andrés or, alternatively, Andreu, Cristián and Davíd. But, thankfully, it hadn’t escalated into a fully blown war which was definitely a good thing. Especially given Marc’s… strong-mindedness as of late.

They were pretty much ready to choose from one of those six when Dani remembered one particular name that he had forgotten to mention. One that he thought would fit pretty well…

“What about Cesc?”

Marc paused for a minute, frown quickly turning into a hopeful smile. “Francesc or just Cesc?”

“Just Cesc. If we called him Francesc it would only be shortened to Cesc anyway. So… what do you think?”

There was another moment of silence before Marc turned to his fiancé, smiling broadly and kissed him right on the lips. “Cesc is perfect.”

 _Well that’s the shock of the century… Why couldn’t I think of that at the beginning?_ “Really?” Dani didn’t really dare believe it was that simple.

Marc nodded emphatically and kissed him again. “Yes. Cesc. Cesc Pedrosa Marquez. It sounds perfect!”

 _Wait…_ “He’s going to be a Pedrosa?”

The younger man looked at him bashfully, biting down on his lower lip. “Well, yeah. I just always thought of it that way. Baby Pedrosa Marquez. Why? Don’t you want that?” the smile suddenly turned into a frown and Dani felt his stomach drop.

“No! No, of course I want that! I just assumed it would be something we have to talk about. It’s just the baby usually gets the father’s name but seeing as this situation is a little different I wouldn’t have been shocked if you wanted to discuss the possibility of him being a Marquez.”

“I don’t. And I guess in this situation, for all intents and purposes, I am the mother. But even if I wasn’t I think I still would want it to be Pedrosa Marquez. I’m thinking ahead to the future so people won’t roll their eyes when another Marquez shows up on the MotoGP grid.”

Dani chuckled and pressed his lips tenderly against Marc’s forehead, pulling him even closer to his side. “And they won’t roll their eyes at another Pedrosa? The team’s insurance premium will probably go up by twenty percent…”

“They’ll be glad to have another Pedrosa. So are we okay with that? Cesc Pedrosa Marquez?”

“Sounds perfect.”

 


	52. Family Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually so sorry about this! It's been weeks and I literally haven't had any time to write or read (anything except text books)! And this is by no means my favourite chapter (at all) but I've been writing tiny bits and pieces and I just need to get it done so I can move on with this(?) Hopefully! Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Marc could only compare the scene to a Christmas comedy.

One minute there was peace and quiet as he and Dani finished setting the table- even though they wouldn’t be eating for hours, it was still nice to have everything arranged so that they could just spend time with their families- and the next… chaos. They were just about to sit down and take it easy for a few minutes when the doorbell rang.

Miraculously, seeing as his dexterity seemed to be worsening by the week, Marc managed to get up off the couch before his boyfriend, sending him a reassuring smile as he made for the door, Dani following closely behind. The pregnant rider wasn’t really sure what he was expecting to see when he opened it, but it certainly wasn’t this. Six people and what seemed to be twice as many bags had landed on his doorstep and were chatting away noisily amongst themselves until they saw that it was Marc and then his mother and Basilia practically threw themselves at him.

“Marc!”

He suddenly found himself in the middle of a very tight three-way hug, being pushed back by the momentum further into the hall. The sniggers of Dani and the rest of the boys could be heard even though Marc couldn’t see through the darkness that had enveloped him.

“Mom, Basi. It’s good to see you again.”

“Okay, ladies, I know we’re all excited but you’re going to suffocate him if you don’t let go,” Julia chuckled, placing his hand on his wife’s shoulder.

Thankfully they listened to him and Marc had free reign of his body once again. For now anyway… He hugged his father and Antonio and briefly, leaving Dani’s brother until last as they had yet to be properly introduced. Of course, they had met a couple of times during the year when Eric was in the garage with Dani but they had never really said more than ten words to each other.

“So I finally get to meet the boyfriend! I was starting to think that you didn’t want me to meet him, Dani…” Eric teased while leaning in to hug the younger rider, “Pleasure to meet you, Marc- well, properly at least.”

_You seem to like me… that makes me so happy._ Marc grinned and hugged him firmly. “You too. And don’t worry, he hasn’t been keeping me from you. I actually asked him the same question.” From there, he laid eyes on the second most important person in the room to him apart from Dani and he felt giddy as a twelve year old boy once again. “Alex!”

The youngest Marquez laughed as his brother practically jumped on top of him but the truth was that he was equally as happy to see Marc as Marc was to see him. Being away from him for that long was a very strange feeling. “Marc! I missed you.”

“I missed you, too!”

As he watched the sight of the once inseparable brothers reuniting, Dani couldn’t help but feel a little bit sad. He was the reason they no longer saw each other every day and it made him feel incredibly guilty. Something needed to be done so that they could see each other as often as possible but Dani knew that discussion would have to be kept until everyone had left on Monday.

The bags were only brought as far as the hall, everyone seemingly of the opinion that they could be dealt with later. They all moved to the living area where Marc and Dani had cups left out already for coffee or tea or whatever they wanted. The couple made a very concerted effort to (casually and without drawing even more attention to themselves) hide the gold bands that were now ever present on their left hands. It didn’t prove too hard a task. There was lots of talk about Crete and the baby, everyone wanting to know how hard and how often it kicked. And things just went from there when they told them the other baby-related news.

Marc, who was sitting in the arm chair, looking up at his fiancé who was perched on the arm rest, eyebrow arched questioningly. Dani who, unsurprisingly, knew exactly what the younger man was talking about smiled and nodded, giving a subtle gesture that Marc should go right ahead. He waited until there was a natural lull in conversation before going for it.

“Actually, there’s something else that we probably should mention. Dani and I chose a name for the baby the other day,” he informed their loved ones and Dani couldn’t help but grin at the complete excitement in his fiancé’s voice.

They could hardly hear themselves think when the (very) brief moment of silence came and went and everyone present made a statement or asked a question simultaneously, making it incredibly hard to figure out what was being said. Roser looked like she was going to suffer a heart attack from the excitement and Basi wasn’t far behind her. Surprisingly, it was Eric who took third place.

After a couple of seconds, Dani decided to put them all out of their misery. _How are they going to react when we share our other news with them later on?_ “We’re going to call him Cesc. Cesc Pedrosa Marquez,” he announced proudly, taking Marc’s hand in his.

If Roser looked like she was going to have a heart attack before… “I love it! Oh boys, it’s perfect. Little Cesc! I’m going to spoil him-“

While their mothers ranted about how wonderful everything was, Eric arched an eyebrow and leaned in closer to Julia and Alex. “What happens if it’s a girl-“

Before he had even finished asking the question, the two Marquez men turned to him, wide eyed with horrified expressions and shushed him in a very exaggerated way. “Don’t ever say that to Marc if you want him to ever speak to you again…”

*

Vale had just returned from the bathroom, chest still wet and towel wrapped around his waist, and checked his phone just on the off chance anyone had been trying to get in contact with him. He would definitely never admit that it was becoming more and more common these days… A smile instantly tugged at the corners of his mouth when he saw that Alex had in fact sent him a message.

_Hey! I miss you! Just thought I’d let you know that Marc and Dani chose a name for the baby. I’m going to be uncle to little Cesc Pedrosa Marquez!_

The smile turned into a full blown grin as Vale read the words. _I can feel your excitement all the way from Tavullia…_ But he definitely understood. Because it was incredibly exciting. The arrival of the little one was getting closer and closer each day and now that he already had a named picked made it seem even more real.

_Keeping with the four letter names then ;) That’s great! How’s everything going? And I miss you too_

Vale was a little bit jealous. That he had to admit. Because Marc, Dani, Alex and Eric were all playing happy families in Geneva and he was sat there at home alone. He wanted nothing more to be with his boyfriend; the need to be around him all the time was even starting the worry him. But he doubted whether or not he would ever able to act the way Dani and Marc acted around him and Alex around them. Marc’s reaction, if they ever decided to tell him, was the stuff of nightmares. And even if they decided that it was a good idea (which it wasn’t), they couldn’t while he was still pregnant because even Dani couldn’t (if he wanted to) couldn’t protect him from the wrath and destruction that would inevitably ensue.

_Great! But it’s still only day one… Eric seems cool but then he is the competition…_

The Italian arched an eyebrow before replying.

_The competition?_

_Yeah… you know for the coveted role of god father and best man._

_There’s a solution to that… because I’M being chosen for those roles. It’s the only way to keep it fair!_

*

“Who are you texting?”

Alex nearly dropped the phone when Marc asked the question seemingly out of nowhere, causing him to have a mini heart attack. _How can you still sneak up like that?_ “What? Oh! No-one.” _Yeah, like he’s going to believe that. You couldn’t have come up with a better answer?_

Of course Marc didn’t believe it. Because Marc knew him too well. Arching an eyebrow, the pregnant rider smile wryly and leaned over, trying to sneak a glance. “Convincing… Come on, is it a girl? Are you seeing someone? I want details!”

Pulling the device away and hiding it safely out of his brother’s view, Alex grimaced. “Yes, okay. I’m seeing someone but it’s new and no, I do not want to give details. Not at the moment anyway.”

“Okay!” Miraculously, Marc conceded, holding up his hands which turned out to be something completely stupid as something _instantly_ caught the younger Marquez’ eye. _Oh shit._ He watched warily as Alex’ expression went from one of confusion to shock to absolute delight.

“ _Oh my god-_ “

Not sure exactly what to do- more like afraid that Dani would kill him- the MotoGP rider stood immediately, although unable to keep the smile off his face. “I just wanted to tell you that dinner is ready. Now hurry, Dani and I… have something that we want to tell everyone…”

Alex didn’t have to be asked twice. _You’re really going to give our poor mother a heart attack._

Dani and Marc had decided to wait until dessert to break the news but after quickly conferring, they decided that they better not push their luck. The younger of the two left his fiancé to do the job because he really couldn’t keep a straight face now that Alex had figured it out.

Clearing his throat, unable to keep from grinning himself, Dani managed to get the rest of the table’s attention and suddenly seven sets of eyes were fixed upon him. “There’s something that Marc and I want to tell you all. It’s actually the reason that we invited you all down here…”

“It’s not twins, is it?” Eric joked and once again Julia and Alex shot him a reproachful look. There were two things that they had learned not to mention around Marc: the potential of the baby being a twin and the potential of it being a _girl_.

“No, it’s not twins,” Dani chuckled and glanced briefly at his fiancé by his side, intertwining their fingers on top of the table. “While we were on holidays, I asked Marc to marry me. And he said yes.”

The briefest moments of silence fell over the table before everyone became a ball of excitement once again. _It’s going to be a long weekend…_ Marc thought to himself, looking to his better half for reassurance.

“I knew something was up!” Julia grinned and was the first one to stand, hugging his son first and then Dani.

“So did I,” Alex chuckled, earning himself a sharp elbow in the ribs from his brother. As anticipated, Roser was over the moon. They all were. And apparently it hadn’t been as shocking as they had thought. But when they started talking about dates, Marc had to stop them.

“Woah, woah, woah! Slow down. Yes, we’re engaged but we’re in no hurry to actually get married. We have plenty of time for that. We’re just going to concentrate on having this baby first and then see where we’re at. So don’t start picking out floral arrangements just yet. Right, Dani?”

“Right. Cesc is going to be our main priority for a while.”

Everyone seemed to accept, and even welcome, that. Everyone except Roser and Basi however. They just gave them a ‘we’ll see’ look and left it at that. This wasn’t their first rodeo.


	53. Mission Impossible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been forever since I last updated (for those of you who are still interested! :P) but I always struggle with creativity when the season finishes. Luckily I'm back in full swing now and am excited about some new projects I'm working on so my absence should be over. Here's a chapter on the eve of the new season :) I am so excited! As always, hope you enjoy! And sorry if this chapter isn't that great; I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things! ♥
> 
> New season, new disclaimer: This is NOT real. I am in no way implying that it is.

“I think we have a problem…”

Valentino didn’t even have to hear what Alex was going to say. He knew exactly what the problem was and, frankly, was surprised they hadn’t encountered it earlier. It was three days since Christmas; Alex had been in Cervera with his parents, Vale had been in Italy with his family and Marc and Dani elected to spend the day alone in Geneva. That had all been well and good, but earlier that morning the Italian had received a call from a happier-than-usual Dani who had invited him to come visit on the thirtieth and ring in the New Year with the happy couple.

Vale had just been about to say that he would love nothing more… until Dani mentioned that Marc had invited Alex too.

It was bound to happen sooner or later. How could it not when they were both such an integral part of Dani and Marc’s lives? The truth was, Vale was completely terrified of being around his boyfriend when the other couple would be in such close proximity. Things had changed so much since the last time they were all together that the difference had to be noticeable; the way he and Alex interacted, how natural they now were together, the way they looked at each other…

Something a little niggling thought in the back of his mind repeatedly tried to remind him that everything may not be so bad. Even if Dani and Marc found out, maybe they wouldn’t have a problem with it. After all, Dani was seven years older than Marc; they had to deal with an age gap of their own and everything turned out fine for them. But that thought was instantly dismissed. Because Valentino Rossi was certainly _not_ Dani Pedrosa and Marc- no matter how friendly they were these days- wouldn’t be likely to forget that.

The truth was, however, that the whole thing was unavoidable. Yes, he could politely decline the invitation- say he was busy- but that would achieve absolutely nothing. It would merely delay the inevitable.

So that was how Valentino and Alex found themselves faces to face once again in the airport, trying to act like they weren’t completely in love with each other. And that was before they even set eyes on Dani and Marc. The place was very busy with people trying to get places before the New Year so that made anonymity a lot easier. It also gave them a bit of time to prepare themselves before they finally managed to find the other couple in the vast arrivals’ hall.

Alex, whose hand was limp at his side, grasped at nothing in an attempt to resist the urge to reach out and grab the older man’s hand.

“I’m not ready for this,” the youngest Marquez stated so softly that Vale doubted whether or not it had even been said. When Alex briefly glanced at him, the conflict clear as day as his Bambi eyes, he knew that it had not been his imagination.

“Neither am I. But it’s not like we have any other choice. Maybe we’re worrying too much? It will probably all be fine.”

“I _really_ hope you’re right…”

_So do I._ He could say no more on the matter, however, as they soon found themselves face to face with a ridiculously excited Marc and a more dignified Dani. The young champion threw his arms around his brother, almost squeezing the life out of the poor Moto3 rider. Vale and Dani just laughed as they watched Marc spout Catalan at a speed of a hundred miles an hour and Alex struggle to breathe.

“He’s been looking forward to this for over a week now,” Dani explained, the look of pure adoration on his face for the older of the two brothers reflecting what he felt for the younger.

“You would have never have gu-“ Moving at remarkable speed for someone who was six months pregnant, Marc moved on to Vale, wrapping his arms around the oldest of the four riders.

“It’s good to see you again, Vale!”

He couldn’t help but chuckle affectionately. “You too, Marc. Thanks for the invitation.”

“Our pleasure, right Dani? It’s great to have the gang back together again. Seems like it’s been forever.”

That reminded him. “Congratulations, by the way. If I’m being passed over for the role of godfather I better at least be a strong contender for the role of best man!”

Dani gave a laboured roll of his eyes but couldn’t help but grin at the familiarity of the situation. “Applications for the position of godfather are not yet open. Please check back at a later date.”

Vale shot his best friend his trademark smile. “That’s okay, I’m very patient.”

Alex scoffed. “Are you sure you’re talking about the right person?”

_And that’s another reason why I love you._ “Shut it, Mini Marquez.”

 

“Mom wasn’t happy that you weren’t there for Christmas.”

_Tell me something I don’t know._ Shifting in his seat so that he could see his brother in the back seat, Marc grimaced. “I know. I spent over an hour on the phone with her on Christmas Eve. I still think that she thought I was just having her on and I’d show up on Christmas morning as a surprise. It felt a bit weird not being there; you know, because it was my first time spending it away from home but it’s not like everyone won’t be coming down for the sixth.”

“You have to understand though, so much has happened in the past few months. Everything is changing quickly.”

“That’s what I told him,” Dani said from behind the wheel, “I had the same thing when I spent my first Christmas away from home.”

Shaking his head to himself, Valentino chuckled. “I’ve never spent Christmas away from home. My Mama would kill me if I did.”

Alex really struggled to keep himself from laughing because _really_. Casting his boyfriend a sly sideways glance, he smirked. There was really no way Valentino wasn’t going to hear Alex’s thoughts on that one later. As the Italian chuckled and stuck out his tongue, he felt himself relax a little. Maybe this really wasn’t going to be that bad…

 

On the face of it, everything seemed pretty much as he had last seen it when they arrived at Dani and Marc’s save, of course, the little Marquez-isms that had crept their way in. When Valentino and Alex went upstairs to deposit their bags in their (separate) rooms, they found themselves face to face with what could only be described as organised chaos. Propped up against the wall was a double mattress and steel bedframe, close by was a small wardrobe and a pair of lockers. While the hall was quite spacious to begin with, it wasn’t _that_ spacious. Manouvering through that in the middle of the night would be fun…

“What the hell? Do Dani and Marc not realise that furniture is supposed to go _inside_ the room?” Alex pondered, eyebrow arched in suspicion.

With a gentle bump of his arm against the younger man’s, Vale chuckled. “No offence, but why do I have a feeling this has something to do with your brother’s- how you say- whims?”

“Pff, no offence taken. I’m pretty sure you’re right,” shifting so that he was leaning against the wooden bars of the banister, Alex rolled his eyes, “ _Marc_? Why does it look like a furniture warehouse up here?”

After a couple of seconds Dani appeared at the bottom of the stairs, dramatically rolling his eyes. “Look inside and you’ll see.”

So that’s what they did; Vale first, Alex sticking his head in over his boyfriend’s shoulder. His excuse would be the limited space but really he was just relishing what would be a rare opportunity to be close to Valentino over the coming days. _Maybe we could sneak into each other’s rooms like teenagers?_

Those thoughts left his brain completely when he laid eyes on the reason for the redecorating: in the middle of the room was a stack of five cans of- wait for it- _blue_ paint. Groaning internally, Alex turned to his boyfriend, pure disbelief on his face. “He does realise that there is a chance that the baby isn’t going to be a boy, doesn’t he?!”

“Pff, I’m more concerned about the amount than the colour! Are they planning on building an extension too?”

“You know what? _Laissez faire_. If painting the room with ten gallons of blue paint makes them happy then good for them.”

Not three hours later- unsurprisingly- Vale and Alex found themselves dressed in white coveralls pouring the aforementioned paint into four separate containers. Alex couldn’t help but marvel at the wonder that was Valentino Rossi; only he could look like a model while wearing what almost looked like a haz-mat suit as he stirred paint. _These couple of days are going to be absolute torture._ The way the plastic-y material clung to his body made Alex sure that he was going to die of sexual frustration by the time the week was out.

Marc looked hilarious in a cute way. Not only did he have to wear coveralls, he was only allowed into the room in the first place on the condition that he wear a surgical mask too (apparently paint fumes weren’t good for the baby). The material seemed to be loose everywhere except his stomach where it was pulled tight against his still remarkably small bump for someone who was sixth months gone.

“Sorry about this,” Dani apologised lowly as he dipped his brush into the thick liquid, “We invited you to come stay with us and then made you paint.”

“It’s no problem,” subtly (he hoped) casting a glance over at his boyfriend who already seemed to be having way too much fun, Alex smiled, “We’re here, we should do something productive and entertaining at the same time.”

“Entertaining? I wouldn’t exactly call painting entertaining. Why do you think it hasn’t been done already?”

“Are you kidding? Valentino Rossi and pregnant Marc Marquez painting? How can’t that be entertaining?”

It turned out Alex was right. But it also turned out that Dani was right to some extent. Pregnant Marc painting _was_ hilarious but Dani wouldn’t really think so. It started off innocent enough; Marc was working on a patch in the middle of the wall and his fiancé wrapped his arms around him from behind, placing a gentle kiss on his neck. When he saw the way the younger rider was painting, however, his inner control freak began to shine through.

_Don’t correct him. He’s happy, leave him be,_ one side of his brain argued. The other, more dominant side, however, just couldn’t let the fact that there would be a patchy spot on the wall go. So he did what in hindsight was probably the worst thing he could have done…

“It’s better if you do upward _and_ downward strokes.”

The minute the words had left his mouth, silence descended over the room, Alex and Valentino looking on with excited apprehension because, alright, it could be quite funny but it could also be catastrophic. _You do not tell Marc Marquez he’s doing something wrong when he’s_ not _hormonal and sensitive…_

“Are you saying my painting is wrong, Dani?” he challenged, turning around to face his intended with cold dark eyes.

_Oh boy._ “No! I’m not saying it’s _wrong,_ I’m just saying that there’s a more efficient way-“

“I have painted a wall before, _Dani_. I’m not an idiot. Do you think because you’re older that you know more about painting than I do? Of course the wise Dani Pedrosa could probably write a book on painting!”

Dani could do little but stand there and gape at the younger man. _What?_ “Marc, you know I didn’t mean it like that. I was just trying to be helpful-“

Pulling off his surgical mask (and now looking a lot less ridiculous) Marc arched an eyebrow dangerously at Dani. “Do you know what would be helpful? If you washed that paint off your face.”

At this point Alex and Valentino were equally as confused as Dani because, from what they could see, there was no paint at all on Dani’s face…

Until there was.

In one stealthy movement, Marc took the recently dipped brush and proceeded to slap his fiancé across the face with it as if it was a wet fish.

The sound echoed through the room and the other couple’s jaws dropped simultaneously, neither believing that had just happened. Vale recovered quickly though and it wasn’t long at all before he was cackling like a maniac. _So much better than I expected! And that is saying something._

“O-kay… I think that signifies that it’s time to take a break and have dinner. Vale, there’s this amazing Italian down the street that I know you’d love…” Dani, who was still shocked but also mostly used to irrational Marc’s behaviour at this stage, tried to salvage the situation before it went too far.

“Sounds good, I’m starving.”

Realising what he had just done, Marc made an ‘eek’ face and bit down on his lip. “Sorry! You know I don’t like people telling me that I’m not doing things right…”

_Everyone in the entire world knows that._ “Don’t worry, I’ve had worse things than having my face painted done to me before. But I do think it’s time we took a break.”

Alex wanted to say that they had only been painting for around half an hour but decided against it when his older brother seemed content to let it go. _I really hope Marc doesn’t end up murdering him by the end of this pregnancy…_

After shedding their overalls, Dani and Marc exited the room, leaving just Alex and Vale standing there. The Italian was struggling to stop laughing. “That right there just made this whole trip worth it. That was nothing less than _gold_!” Taking of advantage of the time taken by Alex to playfully roll his eyes, Valentino stepped closer, his face now adopting a more serious expression, and swiftly and forcefully pressed his lips against his boyfriend’s.

_It has been way too long since you’ve done that._ Content and completely turned on at the same time, Alex grasped the material of Vale’s coveralls tightly and leaned in closer, the need to feel his boyfriend’s lips on his again becoming all too much. _I hate_ and _love the way you make me so desperate._

But he found himself puckered against thin air, Vale’s lips nowhere to be found. “You’ve got some paint right there…” the Italian grinned when Alex opened his eyes again, smearing the blue colour across his cheek.

Pouting, but relinquishing his grip nonetheless, Alex took a step back despite feeling like he was being magnetically pulled back. “You really are evil, you know that?”

“I know. These couple of days are going to be very… _fun_.”

_Really? Because two can play that game._


	54. Testing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's not much I can say. I had pretty much finished this when I got the news tonight so I said I'd just post it anyway. ¡Espero que te recuperes pronto, Dani! ♥ ♥ ♥

Testing came along remarkably fast. Dani and Marc had almost forgotten about the upcoming season over their winter of bliss so the arrival of the 2nd of February was almost a surprise. Before that was the inevitable announcement coming from the Repsol Honda team: World Champion Marc Marquez would be unable to partake in testing due an aggravation of the wrist injury that kept him from taking part in the last few races of the previous season. That news, naturally, went down like a lead balloon with both the media and the fans who all seemed to worry that the extent of the injury had been severely understated and that this could be a potentially career ending (or at least defining) injury.

Dani couldn’t help but laugh when he read articles and saw news reports on the tragedy of it all, lamenting over the loss of a future superstar. Marc a good kick out of it. Instead of being disappointed about missing out on the first month or two of the season, he seemed to be quite content to take a break from it all for just a little while. That probably had a lot to do with the fact that his energy was starting to dwindle. Having a baby was a lot harder than he ever could have imagined; some days he slept up to fourteen hours. Although, admittedly, that was preferable to eating his weight in food on a daily basis. Better to be lazy than have to drop two stone before getting back on the bike!

Seeing as Marc wasn’t really supposed to travel any more, he stayed in Geneva when Dani left but was joined, once again, by his parents and Alex. None of them thought it was a good idea for him to be alone for almost a week on the off-chance that something happened. Marc, although he reminded them that they really didn’t need to keep making the trip down, was happy for his family to be there. Sometimes it felt as if nothing had ever changed, that they were all together as a family once again just in a different house. It gave Marc the comfort he needed in the absence of his fiancé.

It also gave Dani the comfort _he_ needed. Leaving Marc behind wasn’t the easiest thing to do, even though he knew it would only be for six days. This time, at least. That was the part that got him. Soon the season would be in full swing again and, short of taking leave himself for a while, there was nothing he could do. It did feel great to be back in the MotoGP world once again, however. Sometimes, when it was just him and Marc alone, it was hard to remember why he loved the sport so much.

This year there was an extra challenge he had to face and it too came as a bit of a surprise after the sheltered nature of the winter. The world now knew of his relationship with Marc and Dani now found himself the most popular- or maybe interesting was a better description- rider in the paddock. He had overtaken Jorge and even Vale as the most sought after. Everyone wanted to speak to him, quite often to congratulate him on his courage but most often to ask dozens of questions about his partner.

Dani answered the ones he could (more like the ones he wanted to, some were outrageously personal) as briefly and politely as he could, Alberto having to step in from time to time and remind the reporters that it was about the bikes, not Dani Pedrosa’s love life.

The other riders were great. It was as if nothing at all had changed since they had arrived in Valencia back in November. They too asked him about Marc but it was out of genuine concern for their colleague and not because they were fishing for information. He felt their friendship the most, however, when he was being ambushed once again with questions about his private life. A lot of the time the likes of Aleix or Cal or even Jorge would jump in with a joke or a ‘that’s none of your business’ and it made Dani realise that he was the furthest thing from alone and shunned that he could possibly be. The level of support and respect he got from them felt almost overwhelming sometimes.

Although he didn’t like leaving Marc behind, the whole trip was completely worth it when he got on the 2014 bike. Pushing the machine that little bit further every year was something that HRC were astonishingly good at the majority of the time. Compared to other bikes it was by no means _easy_ to control, like a skittish horse that only responded and calmed to its owner’s touch, but once you did know how to handle it it was all but unstoppable.

Alberto seemed all too pleased with the bike that Honda had produced for his rider, grinning from ear to ear at the Dani the minute he climbed off the bike. The rider pulled off his helmet as his manager clapped him enthusiastically on the shoulder, steering him over to a quiet corner of the garage. Dani could sense that something was coming but he couldn’t exactly put his finger on it, Alberto seemed so assured- more genuinely so than ever- and that itself was enough to tell him that they were about to have a serious conversation.

“The bike feels good?”

“It feels better than good. A lot better than last year.” A part of his mind immediately began to wonder just what Marc would make of the bike. Or, more importantly, what he would be able to _do_ with the bike.

The older of the two practically purred. “That’s fantastic. I know I’ve said this before but this is your year, Dani. This is finally it. There’s no way the Yamaha can stand up to the Honda over the course of a season. Marc is your competition and he’s going to be gone for two months. Two _months_. That’s where you’re going to win your championship. Keep Lorenzo and Rossi at bay for those races and it’s as good as yours…” Alberto chuckled to himself and shook his head. “This is what we’ve been working all these years for. This is our season and we’re going to take it for all it’s worth, okay?”

Dani nodded in reply, a smile (completely genuine) spreading across his face whether he wanted it or not. As dubious as he always was at saying such a thing, given his luck in the past, he had to admit that the odds were in his favour. They would never be _more_ in his favour. Of course, if Marc came back and hit the ground running then he could very well retain it; if that happened then Dani would once again be as ecstatic for his fiancé as he had been in November, but he wanted to be the one to bring the championship home to their house this year. He wanted to be able to proudly tell his son- _their_ son- that they won their championships back to back in the two most important years of their lives.

For a moment Dani wondered if Alberto was now rethinking his view on their relationship, more importantly their baby. Because if it wasn’t for that baby then it could have been a whole different story. “I’m going to do it. I’m going to win it.” _I’m going to succeed where I’ve been failing for seven years._

 

“How was your Christmas?” Dani asked Jorge casually as they sat together in the airport waiting to get their flight back to Switzerland.

The Yamaha rider stopped for a minute, slowly turning his face to his one-time nemesis’ in mild bemusement. “You’re asking me how my Christmas was?”

_Don’t make this harder than it needs to be Lorenzo. I’m trying._ “Yes, I’m asking you how your Christmas was. We’re friends now, friends ask each other how their Christmas was. So, how was it?”

Not sure that he would ever get used to the fact that he now considered Dani Pedrosa of all people a friend, Jorge shrugged but it wasn’t to be difficult. “Quiet. Which I suppose is a good thing. Just spent it with Ricky this year although I did go visit my parents and Laura on the 27th. Other than that, nothing really. How was yours and Marc’s?”

“The exact opposite. Quiet isn’t a word that I’d use to describe it. We spent the 25th at home by ourselves, just to have a break after how crazy everything had been. Alex and Valentino came to stay on the thirtieth and then our parents and Eric came on the 5th. After they left though it quietened down a lot.”

There was only one part of that that Jorge actually got; or rather two parts… two names to be exact. _Was I really that wrong about it? Because there’s definitely no way you should be talking about them so casually._ “So Marc is okay with it? I have to say I’m a little shocked! But in a good way of course! I mean, I was even worried about how he was going to react…”

Dani tried to make sense of his fellow rider’s words but it was almost impossible. An uneasy feeling suddenly appeared in his stomach. _I was even worried… What the hell are you talking about? What could Marc possibly freak out about?_ Thinking back on exactly what he had said, Dani still couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Head cocked to the side, he arched an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

It was at that moment that Jorge realised that he could have very well just made the biggest mistake of his life. His blood gradually turned to ice as he studied the genuinely perplexed look on the Repsol rider’s face. This wasn’t just pretending not to know anything, this was genuine ignorance. He made a promise to Valentino not to say anything to Dani or Marc… The fact that it was an innocent mistake did little to comfort him, from now on it would be shoot first, ask questions later. Or never. “Oh, no I didn’t mean anything. Just picked something you said up wrong, my mistake.” _I am actually ashamed of how pathetic that lie is._

Giving Jorge a death glare (how he’d missed that), Dani folded his arms across his chest, firmly resolved on getting the truth. _Do you really think I’m that much of an idiot?_ “Cut the crap, Lorenzo. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Dani, I-“

“Tell me what the _fuck_ is going on. _Now._ I mean it, Jorge. Or else we’re done for good.”

_That really shouldn’t mean anything to me…_ Completely desperate now, Jorge shook his head, just hoping that the other man would somehow understand. “I made a promise. I _swore_.”

“Who did you make a promise to? If this involves my fiancé then I want to know! If you don’t tell me I am going to tell Marc and if anyone would get it out of you, it’s him. You may not have realised but he’s a little bit terrifying at the moment. You do not want that.”

At that point Jorge had to take a gamble. What he didn’t want was for Marc to find out, that was worst case scenario. But if he told Dani maybe he would think it was better not to tell his intended (that was a question for another day)… It also seemed like the best of very bad options. With a sigh, he reluctantly conceded. _Maybe becoming friends wasn’t such a good idea… because I’m pretty sure I just ruined a relationship._ “Valentino, I promised Valentino.”

The wheels visibly began turning in Dani’s head, as he pieced everything together. Christmas… alone, Alex and Valentino, parents… What wouldn’t Marc be okay with?

And it suddenly hit him; that niggling little suspicion that something was up over the holidays suddenly making far too much sense and causing Dani to feel physically ill. _Please tell me it’s not true. Please tell me I’m completely wrong and this is just a huge misunderstanding that we’re all going to laugh about._

_Please tell me my best friend is still the person I thought he was._

Jorge winced as he watched Dani reason it out, feeling so angry and disappointed with himself. As bad as the whole thing seemed, he really believed that Valentino was in love with the kid and just prayed with every ounce of his being that he didn’t just fuck the whole thing up for the both of them.

“Tell me he didn’t, Jorge. I’m not joking.”

“It’s not the end of the world, Dani. It’s really not. You-“

“ _How long_?”

“Remember when you called me from Crete?”

Cursing to himself, anger suddenly flooding through him- anger like he’d never felt before- Dani stood and began to walk away, leaving his jacket and carry on on the floor next to his fellow Spaniard.

“Dani! Please just stop,” Jorge begged, jumping up after him but he showed no sign of stopping.

“No. I _trusted_ you with him and you didn’t tell me. Looks like I should have known better.”


	55. Your Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 Chapters in relatively quick procession? I'm getting back into the swing of things! A lot of you have said that you love how cute and fluffy they are... remember that ;)  
> If anyone doesn't feel comfortable posting comments here for whatever reason you can always mail me on tumblr (tumariposaroja.tumblr.com) or submit an anonymous ask. Would love to hear from you either way :) And I promise I don't bite ;) ♥ I have recently(ish) realised that I have a problem... and that problem is called Emilio Alzamora so he might be featuring a bit more in this... hehe *hangs head in shame*  
> Also I'm in the process of writing two Marc/Dani one shots that I can't wait to put up since I've been writing one since last year and the other I'm just super excited about so keep an eye if you want :)

Dani had absolutely no idea why he just left Jorge behind- with his stuff- like that, all he knew was that it was something he needed to do. Sitting there was just not an option, he just had to _do_ something. And if that something was walking too fast through a busy airport with a face that could launch a battleship then so be it. Okay, maybe he didn’t understand just why he was so angry, that was the rational side of his brain but, unfortunately, it was the irrational side that was currently running rampant.

If he had Valentino Rossi in front of him right at that moment… he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. Sure, Alex was Marc’s brother and he therefor shouldn’t be so bothered about the whole thing but sometime after getting together with Marc, Dani began to think of the youngest Marquez as his brother too. He wanted to protect him almost as much as Marc did, he just never thought that that he would have to protect him against his best friend. His best friend who really should know better. His best friend who was thirty four years of age- a whole sixteen years Alex’s junior.

Another reason it enraged him so much was because of the fact that he knew exactly how Marc would react if he were to find out. Which he would eventually if the ‘couple’, or whatever the hell they were, didn’t break up. Dani knew very well that his fiancé wouldn’t merely be upset about the situation, he would be out for blood. And if Alex actually liked Vale- which he suspected he did or he probably wouldn’t have even went there- and resented his brother’s reaction a rift could very well form between the two. That would break Dani’s heart to see. There should be no Marc without Alex, no Alex without Marc. The thought that his best friend could potentially cause that- his best friend whom he pretty much brought into Alex’s life- made him not only feel angered but also guilty.

For a brief moment Dani thought about how it must have looked to anyone who recognised him and prayed that no one stopped him to talk or ask for a picture or whatever. They would surely think he was the biggest asshole to walk the face of the earth, adding fuel to the bad reputation he sometimes got.

Deciding he needed to be alone for a couple of minutes, and having a hard time trying to figure out how that was even possible in an international airport, Dani finally located a small outdoor smoking area that seemed to be completely deserted as it was raining fairly heavily. Rain was the last thing he cared about at the moment so he stepped outside, letting the heavy door fall shut with a thud behind him.

_I hate you. I hate you for putting me in this position._

He had absolutely no idea what to do. Marc was usually the person he went to with problems like (well, not exactly like) this but that wasn’t an option. Telling Marc was something he mightn’t even do. _I really should but right now I can’t see it ending any way but catastrophic. And stress really isn’t good for you right now._

So what did that leave him with? Valentino? Absolutely not. Alberto? Couldn’t give a damn. Jorge? Part of the problem. His parents? Possibly but too far removed. Julia? Not a good idea. Roser? A death wish for both Valentino and Alex.

There was only one person that he could think of that was close enough, yet also detached enough to even contemplate talking to about this. And that’s what he needed, someone to talk to who could give him some hint as to what the fuck he should do. Someone who would keep it to themselves. Someone who knew Marc probably just as well as Dani did…

Taking out his phone, he searched through his contacts, praying that he actually had the number he was looking for. When he found it, his finger hovered over the call button for a moment before he decided to do it before he thought better of it.

His call was answered after on a few rings.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Emilio, it’s Dani.”

*****

“You’re texting her again, aren’t you?” Marc concluded, a mischievous smile on his face as he observed his brother from where he was sat on the couch.

Alex, who had been trying his best to make it seem like he was just casually checking his phone, cringed. _Don’t say her. And please don’t ask any questions… because I really don’t think I’ll be able to lie to you._ “Why are you so interested?”

Marc looked at him as if he had two heads. “Why wouldn’t I be? We always talk about me; Dani… the baby… It’s time we talked about you for once!”

Despite his discomfort, the younger of the two couldn’t help but smile at the fact that his brother placed his hand over his stomach every time he mentioned their soon to be new addition. It still didn’t make him want to spill his guts. “No, I’m okay with just talking about you!”

“Oh come on, Alex! Just give me some details, not everything! Just so I feel like I have a clue what’s going on in your life.”

“You always know what’s going on in my life!”

“Humour me. _Please?_ ”

 _It’s a wonder Dani ever gets his way. Those eyes are a weapon, you should not be allowed to use them on someone who is powerless to resist._ With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Alex sighed. “Fine. What do you want to know? Be aware that I reserve the right to decline to answer any questions on the basis that I just don’t want to.”

“Pff, fine. How long have you been seeing this person?”

 _That’s a good question._ It warranted a quick bit of maths. “About three months I guess.”

 _That long?_ “So November? Before or after Valencia?”

 _For the sake of not arousing suspicion…_ “After. Not that long after but after.”

“What’s she like?”

“I thought you of all people wouldn’t be so presumptuous…” _Wow, when did I get that brave?_

Marc’s eyes instantly widened as he realised what his brother was alluding to. _What?? Since when? Are you coming out to me?_ For a moment he felt like a bit of a wimp; he couldn’t have even dreamed of telling his brother that he liked boys instead of girls with as much ease and composure as Alex just did. But then again, Alex had Marc’s experience to draw on. He had seen first-hand that it was far from the end of the world. “Sorry, I just didn’t think-“

“I know. It’s okay, it was a surprise for me too. Sorry I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d be okay with it, it was just… I just needed a little time.”

Marc shifted position so that he was now directly facing his brother, knees tucked beneath him. “Of course I’m okay with it! You don’t have to apologise, I know just how big a deal it is. _I’m_ sorry that I kept pestering you about it; if I had known…”

Alex found himself falling increasingly into a false sense of security. On one hand, it felt great- better than great, fantastic- for his brother to finally know about his preferences but on the other he found himself thinking that maybe Marc wouldn’t react so badly if he told him that the guy he was in a relationship with was Valentino Rossi.

“It was hardly pestering, don’t worry.”

“Hmm. So who is he? Your team mate?” Marc laughed in self-depreciation, playfully nudging his brother.

Alex laughed along, but only because it was a better alternative to crying. Well, maybe crying was a bit far but it did wonders to hide the panic in his face. “No, Marc. Not my team mate; that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, you know!”

“Pff, don’t knock it ‘til you try it! Seriously, it’s so convenient. Dani and I have found places that-“

Shoving his index fingers into his ear, Alex shook his head. “Lalalalalalalala. I do _not_ want to know!”

*****

“ _Dani_? What’s wrong? Is it Marc?”

 _Probably should have guessed that was the conclusion you would immediately jump to._ “No, it’s not Marc. Don’t worry, he’s fine- they’re both fine. It’s… I kind of need your advice.”

“O-kay… Shoot then, I guess.”

“Right… Okay, so let’s just say I found out something that he should probably- no, definitely- know but I know for sure that he’s not going to like it.”

“Has it got something to do with Honda?”

“No! It’s nothing… work related. Actually, it _is_ work related but it’s more personal.” It was at that point that Dani began to wonder whether or not he should tell Emilio, Marc _and_ Alex’s manager, any of this. But Emilio was as close to a second father to those two that you could possibly get and it concerned him too in a way…

“Okay. So is it concerning Marc or….?”

“In a way, yes, but mostly concerning someone _very_ close to Marc.”

There was a moment of brief silence on the other end of the line before Emilio sighed. “Is it concerning someone that I am also responsible for?”

“Umm… yes.”

More silence and possibly a muttered curse. “Right… Okay, I’m listening. What’s going on?”

“I have it on good authority-“

“How good?”

“Apologising Lorenzo good.”

“Continue.”

“So he misunderstood what I was telling him and thought I already knew, when I had no clue. Long story short,” Dani gritted his teeth, ignoring the fact that his hair was stuck to his forehead and drops of rain were running down his face, “He’s seeing someone and the relationship is what most would see as… _inappropriate_. I guess that’s the best way to describe it.” Dani actually felt a lot a sympathy for Emilio and the things he had to put up with with those boys. They couldn’t just be your average boring people.

“How _inappropriate_?”

“Let’s just say if Marc finds out I’m worried it will do serious damage to their relationship.”

“Is it someone you know well?”

That question made him grimace, anger and betrayal flooding through him once again. “Someone I know _very_ well. Or _thought_ I knew very well. Honestly, I’m not so sure anymore.” _Come on, Emilio… you’re a very smart guy._

“Someone in the paddock?”

“Yes.”

“A rider?”

 _There we go._ “Yes.”

Emilio sighed wearily and Dani knew for sure he’d taken the breadcrumbs. “This really couldn’t have happened at a worse time. A couple of months ago he probably would have been pissed off but there might have been some reasoning. Now… Now I think it will be a matter of him going in all guns blazing. As much as I love the boy, logical thinking is something that is becoming very difficult for him. That’s not his fault, it’s just the way it is.”

 _So you agree that I’m not completely overreacting._ He wasn’t sure if that gave him comfort or not. “So you think telling him is a bad idea?”

“I think telling him is the worst idea ever. But I also think that you have to.”

 _Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too._ “I really don’t want to hurt him. And I really don’t want to do this to Alex either- he should be able to tell Marc himself when he’s ready.”

“I know but let’s call a spade a spade, Marc is going to be furious. That’s inevitable. But if he also finds out that you already knew and didn’t tell him, he’s going to feel even more betrayed. The way I see it is you have two options here: speak to Alex, tell him you know and that he needs to tell Marc or you will, or tell him yourself and hope that you can calm him down. There’s something else you need to strongly consider…”

“And that is?”

“There’s a chance that they might actually love each other.”

That was something that had already crossed Dani’s mind and it only made him more annoyed than he already was. On the face of things, he saw it as wrong but there were bound to be a lot more factors in play. As much as he wanted it to be simple, black and white, there was a very big chance that it wouldn’t be. _And I really don’t know which alternative is better._


	56. I Don't Do Surprises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not the biggest fan of this chapter. It was the hardest to write so far. There was so much that I wanted to show that I literally couldn't put into words. Sorry if it seems brief and choppy... I'm planning on putting some flashbacks in the next chapter.  
> Oh, also one thing I would like to point out. I know Dani changed manager at the end of 2013 but I really couldn't pass up the chance for Alberto and Emilio to be in laws ;)

“Jorge? Aren’t you meant to be on a plane?”

“Flight is boarding in fifteen minutes. Ricky, I fucked up majorly.” No point in sugar-coating it when time was of the essence. Dani could have been on the phone to Marc as he spoke but Jorge guessed (hoped) that his fellow rider would at least take a couple of minutes to think it through before he did anything that he (they) might regret.

Groan. _Yeah, that’s an accurate reaction._ “What did you do?”

“I accidentally told Dani about his… brother in law.”

“WHAT? Jorge, why- HOW?”

“He was telling me about his Christmas and how Vale and Alex came to stay in Geneva for New Year and I honestly thought that he knew…”

“ _Jorge_.”

 _Yes, I know._ “I fucked up but it was an honest mistake. And before you say anything, I know that doesn’t make the slightest difference now.”

“Get off the phone with me and ring Valentino until he picks up. He has to know _now_ if Dani’s going to tell Marc. He has to know _regardless_ of whether Dani tells Marc or not.”

 _That might be a lot easier said than done…_ Jorge gave a frustrated ‘ugh’ before nodding to himself. “I’ll do that now. I feel so terrible, Ricky…”

“I know. But there’s nothing you can do now except try to limit the damage. Now _go_.”

“Pray for me.” _Because I_ really _need it._

*****

“Pick up, pick up, _pick up_.”

No matter how many times Jorge rang Valentino’s phone, it went straight to voicemail. Of course, he knew the reason for this: Valentino was probably somewhere over Eastern Europe at the moment but that didn’t stop his team mate from trying- and failing- one last time. Dani had been gone for almost ten minutes and the departure of their flight was nearing closer and closer. Something had to be done.

So he did the only thing he could think of, hoping when he found out Valentino would ratify his actions…

He rang the kid.

*****

Alex’s soul seemed to shatter into a million pieces the minute he got the apologetic phone call from Jorge Lorenzo. Disbelief was all he felt at first, assuming that he was just living through another one of the nightmares that haunted him every now and again and almost had to pinch himself to prove that he was in fact awake. But he was awake and this was no nightmare, at least not in the literal sense of the word. He knew he should have been angry (even if irrationally) at Jorge for being careless enough to let their secret slip but he couldn’t feel anything but stomach churning anxiety.

_So Dani knows… The question is whether or not he’s going to tell Marc._

The first thing the young rider had to ask himself was whether or not he was willing to make that gamble. Would there be that much of a difference in Marc’s reaction to hearing the news from Dani than there would be if he told his brother himself? That was what he needed to consider. Was it worth taking that risk?

His brain- at least the objective and logical side of it- said no, it was definitely not worth it. Alex knew in his heart that it was true but that didn’t stop him from clinging to that one little shred of hope that Dani would not say anything… And that made him feel like an awful person. Because the position that his brother’s fiancé was now in was uncomfortable at best, completely unfair at worst. Alex now considered Dani as a brother too and he knew that the last thing the Repsol rider would want is to spill his secret but Dani also had to do some weighing up of his own. The situation was almost the same for him, meaning he had to decide between telling Marc and running the risk of him finding out that he knew from someone else. To be completely honest, Alex knew what he would do if he was in Dani’s position…

So that was it, decision made. He now had to tell Marc the one thing he was ever afraid of telling him. The one thing that could possibly upset the relationship that they had with each other. And the prospect of that was absolutely terrifying because Alex needed Marc just as much, if not more, than Marc needed Alex although sometimes that wasn’t always evident. But it was also terrifying because he _needed_ Valentino too… in a way that he’d never needed anyone before.

Wiping a stray tear from his cheek, Alex tried desperately to compose himself enough that he would actually be physically able to break the news to his brother, praying all the while that Marc wouldn’t make him choose. That was the absolute worst case scenario that he could think of. A fight could be remedied but choosing between family and the person you love was probably one of the most complicated and awful situations you could find yourself in.

With all the enthusiasm of someone that had just been sentenced to death, Alex left his designated room and made his way down the corridor, each step making his stomach twist more and more until he was standing outside of Marc and Dani’s room and was full sure that he would probably throw up at any minute. Finding the door open, he stuck his head inside and found it empty. _You haven’t gone downstairs, there’s only one place that you can be…_

Alex made the very short journey across the hall to the only regularly unoccupied bedroom in the house. Sure enough, he found his brother there, sitting cross legged on a cushion in the corner of the room next to a stack of baby grows and blankets. Despite himself, Alex couldn’t help but smile when he saw the look of peaceful concentration on Marc’s face. He had become obsessed with arranging things in the house, especially the baby’s room, about a week ago which, Julia had explained, was called nesting. Dani had been thoroughly amused by the whole thing but had to instruct the rest of the Marquez family to be on high alert for him using the breakfast stools to dust on top of the presses.

“Having fun?” Alex asked, knowing that if he didn’t get Marc’s attention now he would just turn around and walk out the door again.

Marc started but smiled once he saw his brother standing there. “It’s very therapeutic. I haven’t been this relaxed in a long time. Have you come to help?”

 _I really wish I could say yes…_ “No,” he frowned, holding on to the edge of the recently assembled crib in hope that it would ground him, “There’s actually something that I need to talk to you about…”

 _I haven’t seen you look this worried in a while._ “Sounds serious,” Marc said, ironically, in an attempt to lighten the mood and climbed to his feet once again. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

 _Don’t cry, please don’t cry._ “I need you to promise that you won’t be mad…”

“Alex, what is it? You’re really scaring me.... You can tell me _anything_ , you know that,” eyes widening at the familiarity of those words, the oldest Marquez’ gaze lowered to his brother’s midriff, “You’re not…”

 _What are you tal- Oh._ “No, I’m not. Nothing like that. But it has got a lot to do with what I told you this morning.” _Just do it, get it over with and put yourself out of your misery._ “I never told you who it was…”

“It’s not Jack Miller is it? I hope you have better taste than that!”

“No, it’s not. But you do know him. And remember what I said before about not getting mad?”

Marc narrowed his eyes, racking his brain to try and come up with possibilities of who it could be. _Why would I be mad? How bad is it?!_ “Who is it, Alex?”

“He’s amazing. And so good to me-“

“Who is it?”

“Valentino.”

*****

Just when Jorge was about to send out a search party for Dani because of the fact that their flight was currently boarding, the Repsol rider returned once again. Without even looking at him, Dani grabbed his jacket and carry on and made in the direction of the gate.

 _I had a feeling that was how this was going to go._ Jorge quickly followed after him, almost jogging in an attempt to catch up. _For someone with really short legs you can move really quickly…_ “Dani, just listen-“

“Don’t, Jorge. Just… don’t.”

*****

“YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME.”

Marc freaked out, just as Alex thought he would. It was inevitable really but nothing could prepare him for how badly it actually hurt. Seeing the look of disgust on his brother’s face, the fire in his eyes, hearing the venom in his voice… It almost brought him to tears. But those would very likely come soon.

 _Just keep calm. Don’t argue._ “I know this is a shock and you’re upset-“

“Upset? Of course I’m _upset_. Upset doesn’t even begin to cover it. I am absolutely furious! Alex, what the _hell_ were you thinking?! _Valentino Rossi?_ Are you high?! You know who he is! You know what he’s like! What the hell would make you think that getting into a _relationship_ with him is a good idea? Okay, I guess I can understand. Like I said, he’s Valentino Rossi. I don’t exactly blame you. But you have to end it, Alex! _Now_ before he breaks your heart and tears you into a million pieces.”

He tried to blink back the tears that were forming in his eyes but without much success. _You’re the one that’s breaking my heart right now._ “So it’s okay for you and Dani to be best friends with him but I can’t date him?”

 _Yeah, pretty much!_ “Exactly! Especially because he should know better. He’s taking advantage of you, can’t you see that?”

 _Please don’t go there._ “No, I can’t see that because it’s not true! He turned me down at first because he thought it was wrong. That’s not taking advantage. It’s not taking advantage if he loves me and I love him!”

“I don’t doubt you love him. And he may say he loves you too but, Alex, this is not going to end well! How do you think mom and dad are going to react when they find out? Do you think they’re going to allow this? If so, think again because you’re being naïve.”

“What can they do, Marc? Tell me, what can any of you do? I’m eighteen, I’m _allowed_ to make my _own_ choices now and I’m _choosing_ to be with Valentino. End of story.”

*****

Roser flinched as she poured hot water in the cup, the loud voices almost making her spill it all over the place. _What was_ that _?_ Turning towards her husband, his face told her everything she needed to know and more.

“Here we go again.”

“You have any idea?”

“None. Should we?”

“No. Leave them to it, we’ll sort it afterwards.”

_It’s never that bad, right?_

*****

The sound of a door slamming upstairs reverberated through the house, almost making the windows shake, signalling the end of whatever spat the two brothers had been engaged in. Roser held her breath, hoping to god that that it was over something trivial and that they would be laughing and joking again within the hour.

After consulting with Julia once again, it was decided that they should give them both a couple of minutes to cool down before they investigated. Once that time had passed, the couple made their way upstairs, preparing to divide and conquer: Roser taking Marc, Julia taking Alex.

Unfortunately, they didn’t get that far.

Gear bag pulled over his shoulder and eyes red and bloodshot from crying, Alex hurried down the stairs but stopped in his tracks when he saw his parents watching him in shock.

“Are you going somewhere?”

It took every ounce of self-control he had not to make a sarcastic comment. _What does it look like?_ “I’m going home.”

“Alex,” Roser said sadly, inching closer to her baby, “We’re going home tomorrow. Can’t you wait until then? I’m sure whatever you and Marc fought over will be-“

The fact that his brother’s name made him grit his teeth only served to upset him even more. _I love him so much, I’d do anything for him. But I can’t do this._ To keep from completely breaking down, Alex just shook his head and firmly said ‘I’m going now. I just have to. I’ll see you soon.”

Both parents knew that there was nothing they could so. If he really wanted to go then they couldn’t stop them. After a hug for both of them, Alex left but not before pausing in the doorway. His eyes darted to the top of the stairs and he opened his mouth to say something before deciding better of it and closing it again.

And then he was gone.

Julia looked at his wife, the worry and suspicion etched on his face. It wasn’t the usual kind of worry she saw, however; this was completely different. This was unchartered territory.

“What the _hell_ happened?”

*****

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Alex… Can I come stay with you for a couple of days?”

“Of course. You know you’re always welcome here.”

“Are you okay?”

 _Stupid tears._ “No.”


	57. Like we Were Yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanking you all for your lovely comments and kudos! <3 And a very big welcome to all my new readers!

When Roser finally made it to her son’s room, she was completely unsurprised to find the door tightly locked. That was Marc’s thing, a lot more than Alex’s; whenever he found himself in a big fight with either herself or Julia, or even his brother, he would retreat to his room and lock himself away for a couple of hours. After that time had passed he would emerge, calmer and composed and soon everything would be okay again. Some niggling thought ate away with her however; some little inkling that maybe this time wasn’t as clear cut and fixable as it usually was…

She’d never seen Alex so upset, not just the obvious physical manifestations that gave it away, she could just sense it. And it killed her, caused her physical pain, to see him like that- dejected and just so… broken. The urge to follow him, to make him turn around and come back so that they could sort whatever was going on out, overwhelmed her. But Roser knew her youngest well enough to know when to leave him alone, even though he wasn’t always as vocal as Marc was.

Leaning up against the door, Roser rested her head against the cold wooden surface, closing her eyes as the tears began to slowly creep down her cheeks. She listened to the sound of his sobs as they filled the room.

*

The trip to the airport and subsequent flight seemed to pass in a blur. Checking in, boarding, take off, landing… they all seemed to merge into what seemed like five minutes and before Alex knew it, he found himself waiting at baggage reclaim, praying he would get out of there without anyone recognising or stopping him. Although, even if they did recognise him, he doubted anyone would actually approach him looking like he did; red eyes, pale face… like a zombie with a severe case of depression. Okay, Alex knew that he probably wasn’t depressed, just heart broken and completely dejected and… lonely. He wanted to curl up and cry, he wanted Vale but he also just wanted to be alone.

Once his bag appeared, Alex hastily pulled it over his shoulder and trudged in the direction of the arrivals hall with his head down and eyes focused on the path directly in front of him. The airport was quiet, well by its usual standards so it only took him a minute or two to find who he was looking for. His eyes scanned the large hall, ghosting over all those whom he didn’t recognise until they fell on the person he had been looking for, the bright blue eyes and their familiarity putting him at ease, if only in the slightest. 

That comfort didn’t last for long, the mixture of sympathy and worry on the older man’s face enough to make him relive everything that had happened earlier on that day in vivid detail. _Don’t look at me like that. If you do, I’m going to cry and here really isn’t the place to do that._

“Alex.”

“Emilio.”

His manager stepped forward, taking the bag from his grip, and wrapped one arm loosely, but reassuringly, around Alex’s shoulder. “Let’s get you home and then we can talk, okay?”

*

 

“Vale, _calm down_ -“

“No! Don’t you dare tell me to _calm down,_ Jorge! This is not the time to be calming down! I tried to ring Alex as soon as I got your message but he’s not answering. I also try Marc but neither is he.”

Jorge almost wanted to laugh. _Really? You really rang_ Marc _?_ “Well, I can’t tell you much. We just got off the plane…”

“We. Dani is there?”

Arching an eyebrow, he turned his gaze to his rival who was loitering around the baggage reclaim area, sulking even more than he had been before they got on the plane. “He’s trying his very best to escape.”

“I want to talk to him.”

“You- You want to _talk_ to him? Honestly, do you think he’s going to want to talk to you? He hasn’t even looked at me since before we boarded the flight! No offence, but you’re the _last_ person he would want to talk to right now.”

“What about you? I’m sure he blames you too.”

“I’m the second last.”

“Give him the phone.”

 _Are you actually insane? Seriously, you need to get tested._ “I will not give him the phone. First of all, he’s not going to take it and even if he did, the moment he figured out it was you I would be assaulted with said phone. So no.”

“Tell him it’s Marc.”

Jorge had to stop and take a deep breath to keep himself from completely losing it with his team mate. _I fucking hate you sometimes. How did you even get someone like Alex to look at you?_ “I’m not going to tell him it’s Marc, how much of an asshole are you?” Jorge wondered through gritted teeth, voice now completely calm and hard, “You’re supposed to be his fucking best friend, start acting like you actually give a damn about him. Because guess what? If you were such a great friend to him you would have told him about you and… _him_ as soon as you figured out that this thing was serious. Do you not think he at least deserved _that_ much after all he’s trusted you with? Do you not for a moment think that maybe things would have turned out at least a _little_ bit better if you had manned up and told him yourself? The fact that you hid it is a big part of the problem.”

“I couldn’t-“

“Look, I’m not saying it would have been easy- it definitely wouldn’t- but the secrecy has probably just really damaged Marc’s relationship with his brother at a time when he needs him the most. And you know that he’s not going to give in easily.”

“I’m going to do everything I can-“

“Yeah, well everything you can just may not be good enough this time.”

*

 

“You know.” Alex’s jaw clenched as he watched his mentor in complete and utter disbelief, feeling anger and betrayal bubbling inside him.

Giving a little shrug, Emilio kept his eyes on the road as he navigated the tail end of the journey. Frankly, he was amazed that the topic hadn’t come up earlier in the hour long drive to Lleida but Alex had mainly spent that time brooding and intermittently sleeping. Seeing some of the tension melt from his body as his eyes fluttered closed made Emilio feel sad, especially when he woke again and instantly returned to looking completely lost. “Yeah, Dani called me after he found out.”

“ _Dani_ called _you_? Why would _Dani_ call _you_?”

“Maybe because he had no one else to talk to?” he shrugged, “Valentino was out of the question, so were you. Jorge too… He had no idea what to do; he didn’t want to make a rash decision that he would end up regretting. Turns out you made that decision yourself.”

 _Don’t remind me._ Alex let his eyes close for a moment, attempting to blink back the tears that were threatening once again. “What did you tell him?”

“Does that really matter now?”

“Yes.”

 _You’re about to get even more angry._ Emilio sighed, fingers tightening around the wheel as he drove up his street. “I told him to tell Marc. Well, he wanted to know if he should tell him and I said he should. And before you say anything,” he began, the hurt look on the young rider’s face enough to let him know exactly what was coming, “I didn’t come to that conclusion lightly. You’re strong, Alex- a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. And Marc is strong too. Usually. But now Marc isn’t as strong as he always is- well, in some ways he is, some ways he isn’t.  And at present I have to worry about him more than I have to worry about you. I told Dani what I did not because I wanted to get you in trouble, but because that was the path that would lead to the least destruction. And I know that isn’t saying a lot given all that’s happened but it really was the best option, Alex.”

Complete silence descended upon the car as Emilio pulled into the driveway and parked by the front door. He made no move to get out however, electing to stay right there until his rider made the first move. Instead, he watched as Alex’s breath gradually became shallower and the tears he had obviously been holding back began to trickle down the pallid skin of his checks. It absolutely broke Emilio’s heart to witness.

“I love him,” Alex sobbed, cursing himself internally for being so weak, “I don’t want to fight with Marc, that’s the last thing I want but I just can’t- I couldn’t…”

Unfastening his seat belt, Emilio leaned over the centre console and wrapped his arms around the younger man, feeling some of the tension leave his body at the contact. Alex buried his face in his manager’s shoulder, not for the first time ever, and just cried, _really_ cried for the first time since everything had gone so completely wrong. Emilio just let him, knowing it was exactly what he needed to do before he could even think about moving in the right direction again.

After what seemed like hours but was probably only a matter of minutes, the sobs became quieter and quieter until they turned into just heavy breathing, Alex haven given everything he had to give.

“He’s going to be mad at you for letting me stay here.”

“No, he’s not.” _You think he’s mad at you. You couldn’t have gotten it more wrong; you’re just a symptom, Valentino is the disease._

*

 

Dani made to stick his key in the front door before he realised that the house wasn’t deserted as it always was, having forgot that as a result of his emotional and physical fatigue. It was far from deserted, in fact, and he really wasn’t looking forward to seeing the extent of the damage (metaphorically) when he went inside. Pushing the door open, Dani dropped his bag inside hall as he always did.

“Dani, you’re home.”

Roser’s voice (the sound of relief) startled him and he looked up to see herself and Julia hovering by the breakfast counter, both looking the picture of worry and anguish. “Hi. Yeah, I am.”

“Your flight was okay?”

 _Ha._ “It was… fine. Where are Marc and Alex?” Dani asked, pretty sure that he already knew the answer: locked away in their own rooms and most definitely not talking to each other.

The couple exchanged glances, their expressions enough to make his stomach plummet. _Oh no…_ With a sigh, Julia ran a hand through his hair. “Marc is upstairs locked in your room. Alex is… Alex is gone.”

 _Excuse me??_ “Gone?”

“A couple of hours ago we heard shouting upstairs, not just normal arguing shouting but really, _really_ shouting. I’ve never heard them arguing like that. Then a door upstairs slammed and a couple of minutes later Alex came downstairs with his bag and announced that he was going home. I-“ Roser shook her head to herself, “I didn’t know what I could do to stop him.”

Snaking his arm around his wife’s waist, Julia placed a gentle kiss on her temple. “There was nothing you could do, I keep telling you that. He was going.”

There were very few times in his life that Dani could say that he was well and truly astounded (the majority of those had actually happened since Marc came into his life) but this was definitely one of those. His anger bubbled once again, his resentment towards the man that he called his best friend growing by the minute. Releasing a breath that he didn’t know he had been holding, Dani shook his head in disbelief. “He can’t just leave. Did… Did Marc tell him to leave?” _Surely he wouldn’t do that…_

“I don’t think so. It seemed like he was going because he wanted to, not because he had to… I just don’t get it. They were fine this morning! They were _perfect_. What could have changed that so quickly?”

Dani felt his jaw go slack. He searched their faces for something to indicate that they actually had _somewhat_ of an idea of what was going on, but nothing. Even from the shouting they couldn’t figure it out… _And this puts me in the most awkward position I’ve ever been in, bar none. What the fuck am I meant to say??_

“Dani…” Julia began, seeing the torn look on his future son-in-law’s face, “If you know something you should tell us. We’re their parents, we _need_ to know. Alex… isn’t in trouble is he?”

“No, he’s not in trouble. It’s just…” he swallowed in an attempt to dislodge the lump that had formed in his throat, making him feel as if his airway would be squeezed shut at any moment, “Look, I really don’t think I should say. Maybe if you asked Alex? Or even Marc…”

“Do you really think that Alex is going to tell us? If he wanted to he would have before he left! And Marc refuses to talk to anyone. Please Dani, he’s our son. We’re going to assume the worst unless you tell us.”

 _I really hope they both understand…_ “Fine, okay. But I’m not going to get into detail. It’s not my place. Let’s just say that Alex… Alex is seeing someone and Marc- Marc and I- don’t really approve.”

Roser released an audible breath, relief flooding through her. “That’s it? That’s what this fight was about?”

“I wouldn’t be so relieved just yet if I were you. I’m sorry, that’s all I can say. Now I have to go see if my fiancé and our child are okay.”

 


	58. Chain Reaction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter than usual but not too much! Rules are meant to be broken ;) Once again, a little reminder that I do not claim that any of this has happened nor will it ever happen.

Unsurprisingly, Dani found the door still locked after making his way upstairs to his and Marc’s bedroom. He knocked and waited. And then waited some more. Still no answer came. Pressing his ear to the door and hearing only complete silence, he deduced that Marc had probably fallen asleep and considered that maybe he should just let him be for a while. But that just didn’t feel right to him; he’d just gotten home from a different continent and with all that had happened, Dani wanted to see his fiancé (and by extension, child). So he knocked again, a little louder this time but not loud enough to completely startle him.

It took a nearly half a minute before he heard a very definite, albeit unenthusiastic, ‘Go _away_ ’.

“Marc? It’s me, I just got home. Can I come in?”

More silence followed his request and Dani just stood there, unable to believe that his fiancé would ignore him of all people. A knot began to form in his stomach and he was considering either breaking down the door or going back downstairs to give the younger man some more time to himself when there was a tell-tale click. The door, however, remained closed and Dani reached out slowly, as if the handle was white hot and could burn his skin, and pulled the handle, relief flooding through him when it opened with a quiet squeak.

Marc was back (presumably) on the bed again, sitting up and seemingly hanging on to the covers for dear life. What really got Dani, made his soul physically hurt, was how lost he looked; pale and weak and just… wrong. “You’re home.”

Dani wanted to cry, all he wanted to do was cry and promise to never leave his fiancé’s side again and make everything better but instead he just closed the door and climbed into bed next to Marc. The younger man quickly wrapped himself around Dani, burying his face in his chest.

“How could he do that? He’s Va- _him_ , he could have chosen anyone in the world- girl or guy, I don’t fucking care- and yet he chose _my_ brother. I- just the thought of the two of them together makes me physically sick!”

Dani tightened his grip on the younger man, resting his head atop Marc’s. “I know. I was so angry when Jorge told me, I-“

“ _Jorge_ knew and _I_ didn’t?”

 _I have_ never _seen you this angry._ “Yeah, he knew. Vale made him promise not to say anything.”

Marc pulled away from Dani’s grip, looking his fiancé right in the eye. “Then this is as much his fault! He had absolutely no right to keep that from me- to keep that from us! If we had known sooner-“

“I know, I _know._ Trust me, he knows just how pissed off I am about it.”

Shaking his head to himself, Marc lowered his gaze to his lap, all the energy seeming to drain from his body. “That’s my brother, Dani. He’s my brother. How could I have let this happen?”

 

 

“Do you want food?” Emilio asked, re-entering the room with a number of take-out menus in his hand.

“No thanks, I’m not hungry.”

With a sigh, Emilio sat down on the edge of the couch. “You have to eat something, Alex.”

“I’ll eat later on,” he promised, knowing that his manager was just trying to look out for him. He already owed so much to Emilio. “Right now I just want to ride.”

 _This kid is absolutely crazy._ “That really isn’t a good idea right now. You’re too emotional.”

“I need this, Emilio,” Alex said, desperation overwhelming his voice, “I need some kind of normality.”

“You want normality? Great. Then you can pick up the phone and actually return one of the many phone calls that Valentino has made in the past two hours. You’re hurting, I know that. But you’re hurting because of what Marc said, how he reacted. You’re forgetting that you walked out because you love Valentino, you didn’t walk away from him. He’s probably just as hurt by the whole thing as you are so you need to talk to him. He’s not going to talk to Dani or Marc so he probably doesn’t even have a clue where the hell you are. You want to go for a ride? Fine, I’ll go with you. But you have to talk to him first.”

Alex didn’t have to say another word, the look of resignation mixed with regret on his face told Emilio everything he needed to know and more. Silently, he handed his rider the phone that had practically been ringing non-stop before leaving him in peace.

Alex stared at the screen for a number of moments, trying to figure out exactly why it seemed so hard to talk to Valentino. The man he loved. The one he was doing all this for. The person who caused him to unlock parts of himself that he never even knew existed. The reason suddenly became evident: he was scared. Not just scared, terrified beyond belief. The fight with Marc seemed almost like a nightmare, a nightmare that he would wake up from soon. But it wasn’t, it was reality- a reality that he had no idea how to deal with. That’s why talking to Vale seemed like such a bad idea; he didn’t want to validate what he believed to be nothing more than a bad dream.

But he had to. Because staying holed up in Emilio’s house for the rest of his life in an attempt to deny what was true was impossible. And the truth was, Alex really needed to hear his boyfriend’s voice. So he unlocked his phone and dialled Vale’s number with unsteady hands and just waited.

“Alex! Thank god! I’ve been so worried. Are you okay? I… I spoke with Jorge.”

“I’m back in Barcelona now…”

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line followed by a muttered Italian obscenity. “That bad?”

“That bad.”

“Alex, I am _so_ sorry-“

“Don’t. You don’t have to apologise. There’s nothing to apologise for. Marc is overreacting. He didn’t kick me out, I left because I didn’t want to be there anymore. I left him…”

“This situation is so fucked up. I get why he- _they’re_ \- angry but if they just took a minute to listen… Yes, they know me, _Dani_ knows me. But they have no idea. I know it may look bad but they never stopped to ask questions. They… what is the phrase? See red and that’s that. If they only would listen they would see that I am serious about this.”

 _Yeah, well that’s not going to happen._ “Have you actually met Marc? He’s probably the most stubborn person I’ve ever met in my life. Especially _now._ I don’t think that he’s going to admit he was wrong. Dani… I think there’s more of a chance with Dani.”

“I hate it. I hate that I hurt them. I know I should have told them myself, I just thought that we had just a little bit longer… We would have if Jorge could keep his mouth shut.”

Alex sighed, sinking further down on the couch. “As much as I hate to admit it, it’s not Jorge’s fault. We shouldn’t have put him in that position in the first place. It wasn’t fair. Don’t get me wrong, I want to be angry at him because, on the surface, it’s his fault, right? But then when you look closer, it just isn’t. I hate that. I hate that it’s our fault.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line and he had to look at the screen to see if the line had cut out. “You’re so like him, you know that?” The sadness in his boyfriend’s voice somehow managed to send a shiver down his spine.

“Like who?”

“Marc. Alex, I can’t be responsible for coming between the both of you. I would never forgive myself. He needs you and you need him.”

 _Don’t you dare…_ “No. Don’t even think about it, Valentino. I left. I left because I had something worth leaving for. I left because he was wrong and I wanted to show him that. That wasn’t for nothing okay? It just wasn’t…” His eyes began to prickle once again and within a matter of seconds, his cheeks were moist again. Everything that had been teetering between okay and completely not okay was now weighted in favour of the latter once again. Alex hated how it made him feel, he hated the situation. Most of all, it just made him feel completely stuck and he had absolutely no idea how to free himself.

“Okay,” he sighed, “You know you shouldn’t doubt how I feel about you… I’ve been trying to come up with a way to fix this ever since _he_ told me what had happened. Short of driving to Geneva and getting down on my knees to beg for forgiveness, I have no idea what to do.”

 

 

_Alex is with me. He’s okay, no need to worry._

Emilio’s finger’s hovered over the send button for over a minute before he finally bit the bullet and sent the message to Julia. Alex had never mentioned that he wanted to keep his presence there a secret and his manager knew that, were he in Julia and Roser’s position, he would want to know that his son was okay. Alex was practically a son to him already. So was Marc and Emilio debated whether or not to add something about the eldest into that message, ultimately deciding against it.

Not thirty seconds after it has been sent, his phone began to vibrate, the name ‘Julia’ unsurprisingly appearing on the screen. For a moment, Emilio contemplated not answering but only for a moment. He pressed the phone to his ear. “Hello.”

“Alex is there with you?”

“He called me before he left Geneva asking if he could come stay with me for a couple of days. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, it’s just a bit of an awkward situation…”

“That doesn’t matter. As long as he’s safe. I’ve been calling but he hasn’t been answering…”

“He was talking to-“ _Fuck_ , he pinched the bridge of his nose, “He was on the phone a while ago and I haven’t seen him since so he may have fallen asleep.”

“I need you to wake him and give him the phone.”

The urgency in his friend’s voice startled Emilio, the request making him feel uncomfortable. “With all due respect, Julia, I think he just needs some time to digest everything. He’ll come around but he just needs some time to himself-“

“You don’t understand, this can’t wait. I understand that he needs time but I thought he should know that Marc is in hospital.”

With that one little statement, all the blood seemed to completely drain from his body. _This is not good. This is_ definitely _not good._


	59. The Mist in Your Vision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments, kudos and hits :D It means the world to me! Here's another chapter ♥ Disclaimer: I have no children so I'm just relying on research but seeing as this is not a typical situation anyway... ;)

“Dani,” Marc winced in pain as he lay, terrified beyond belief, on a bed in a brightly lit hospital room. Everything had been great- well, _fine_ was probably a better word- until he had been awoken little after ten o’clock by a horrible pain in his abdomen. His first thought was that the baby was coming already, then that he was having a miscarriage but now he had absolutely no idea what to think. Looking up at his fiancé through with heavy lidded eyes, he clearly saw that his gut wrenching fear was shared by Dani, though he tried his absolute best to hide it.

“Shh, I’m here. Everything’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to be okay…” Dani wanted desperately to be strong for Marc, to give him all the support he needed and more but he truly felt as if he would throw up at any minute. The tightening of his grip on the younger man’s hand was just as much about keeping him grounded and sane than it was to reassure Marc. At nearly thirty one weeks, it was still too early for him to arrive and if he did, it could mean months in the hospital.

“Where are my parents?”

“Your mom is on the phone with your doctor. I have no idea where your father is.”

Marc’s eyes began to prickle and he squeezed them shut in an attempt to stop the tears from trickling down his face, making Dani feel even worse. “Alex. Why isn’t he here? I need him here…” he whimpered, feeling completely lost. _This isn’t right… this really isn’t right._

 _I had a feeling you were going to say that._ “Roser or Julia might have already called him but if they haven’t I’ll call him after the doctor comes in, okay?”

“I hope he hurries. I can’t lose him, Dani. I just can’t.”

_Which one? Your brother or your son? My guess is both._

*****

“This is my fault. This is all my fault.”

“Alex, it’s not your-“

His eyes narrowed at his manager as he paced the kitchen, moving just for something to do. “Don’t be naïve, Emilio. Don’t try to make me feel better, okay? I did this to him! To _them_. I shouldn’t have told him. I should have known he wouldn’t be able to take it. Now my nephew could be in trouble and it’s all my fault.”

Emilio grabbed a hold of the younger man, a hand placed firmly on each of his arms to get his full attention. “Listen to me. This is not helping anyone. There is absolutely no point in getting hung up on what caused what, it’s done; there’s nothing that can be physically done to change that. Do you think your relationship with Valentino is going to be on Marc’s mind at the moment? He’s probably terrified and he needs you there with him, even if he doesn’t know it himself. I told your father that I would get you back to Geneva and that’s what I’m going to do. So get your passport.”

*****

“Your baby’s heartbeat is strong.”

Upon hearing the doctor declare that, Marc cried. He didn’t even bother trying to stop it, the relief just seemed to overcome him, flooding through his veins and making every inch of him relax, even if just a little. Dani cried too. As did Roser who stayed put in the far corner with her husband so that the doctor could have space, although all she wanted to do was kiss her and bake her nice Catalan desserts.

“He’s okay?” Dani managed to ask, voice understandably uneven and pitchy.

She nodded, removing the probe from Marc’s skin before wiping him down. “The baby is fine. It’s Marc I’m most worried about. We have to do some tests although it does not appear to be preterm labour…”

“Then what could it be?”

“Hmm, we won’t know for sure until the tests are done but you appear to be hypertensive. Your blood pressure is much higher than average. You say you haven’t been suffering from gestational high blood pressure?”

“Not at all…”

“Anything particularly stressful happen today?”

Dani and Marc quickly exchanged a knowing glance that pretty much said ‘Yeah, you could say that…’

*****

Valentino took a deep breath and finally sent the message he had been contemplating ever since he spoke to Alex on the phone earlier. It had been something he wanted to ask but, in his attempt to appear strong for his boyfriend who needed it the most, refrained from doing so.

_Can I come visit you in Barcelona?_

_You can say no. You don’t have to say yes._

_I’m sorry if it’s too soon…_

He was just about to retract the request when a reply came from Alex.

_I’m at the airport. Going back to Geneva. Marc is in hospital. Will call you later._

The Yamaha rider felt his stomach drop slightly _and_ relief at the same time. His first thoughts were that Alex was going to patch things up with his brother and, although he had no idea where that left him, Valentino was most definitely glad of that. But when he got to end of the message, all that relief was suddenly drained from him once again, only to be replaced by bone crushing fear and guilt so strong that it almost made him sick.

_Fuck._

*****

Marc winced as the nurse stuck the needle into him, grabbing Dani’s hand so hard that he could possibly have injured him. The needle wasn’t even going into his skin, per se… it was going into the IV that was embedded in his skin but that did little to comfort him. He’d always been a bad patient.

The doctor- both his own and the hospital’s- had thought it was wise to start administering steroids to help the baby’s lungs develop faster on the off-chance that they had no choice but to deliver the baby early. Of course, what Marc wanted more than anything was for his child to be the healthiest it could possibly be but the fact that the doctors were taking such precautions did little to ease his worried mind. Every movement of the child inside him made him paranoid that he was beginning to have contractions and every time Dani would have to calmly assure him that he wasn’t. Roser was also a godsend to the older rider; she had been through the whole process of childbirth twice before and Marc believed her when she promised with a wry smile that what he was experiencing was not labour and that he would know only too well if it was.

Thankfully, there were no red flags in his blood work, meaning that high blood pressure was most likely the cause of any problems he was experiencing. That being said, he was by no means out of the woods. High blood pressure in the latter stages of pregnancy put him at high risk of pre-eclampsia and other complications so the doctor saw fit to keep in the hospital for two or three days. Not only that, just to be one hundred percent safe he would have to remain on bed rest until it was time for the baby to be delivered.

Roser joked that she would have to move in with the couple but it really wasn’t too far removed from the truth. Dani’s schedule meant that he couldn’t be there as often as his fiancé would need him to be which meant that someone else would have to be there with him during the times he was away from home.

“I’m going to go out of my mind,” Marc commented, pouting adorably, as he shuffled carefully to get comfortable in bed once the nurse had left. Julia and Roser quietly excused themselves to get coffee and something to eat from the cafeteria before it closed after two.

“You sleep the majority of the time now anyway, how will it be any different?”

Sticking out his tongue, Marc grimaced although the familiarity made him feel at least a little bit better. _We’re acting as we would any other day… Not like something bad could happen to me or the baby._ “That’s because I’m doing things that tire me out so I have to sleep! Lying in bed will not tire me out.”

Dani smiled and gently pressed his lips against the top of Marc’s head, keeping his distance on the edge of the bed so he wouldn’t hurt him. “I’ll make it my business to find things to occupy you.” The younger man arched an eyebrow, cheeky smile on his face, and Dani immediately rolled his eyes. “Not _that_. _That_ is not rest.”

*****

Emilio and Alex touched down in Geneva a little after one o’clock in the morning after a flight that hadn’t been that long but seemed like it had lasted days. On more than one occasion, Emilio had tried to assure his rider that everything would be fine with Marc (in more ways than one) but it ultimately seemed like leaving him alone was the best way to deal with the situation. Alex obviously didn’t want to talk and Emilio wasn’t going to force him, he knew how difficult and painful the situation must have been for him. Thankfully, he did a good job of hiding his own worry for the sake of the younger man.

Without any check-in luggage, they made it out of the airport relatively quickly; Alex wearing a baseball hat and a rather plain jacket in an attempt to remain inconspicuous. The last thing they needed was for a photographer to recognise him and follow them to the hospital. Thankfully, the roads were quiet and they managed to make it to the hospital in a very respectable time, every minute they spent in the taxi making Alex’s mood visibly darken more and more.

 _I really have no idea how this is going to go…_ Emilio thought to himself as the car pulled up outside the entrance of the hospital closest to Dani’s house and they paused for a minute before he paid the driver and managed to get Alex out. _You’re either going to burst into tears when you see each other or…_

Dialling Julia’s number quickly, Emilio led his rider inside out of the cold and away from any prying eyes. “Hi, we’re here now… Reception area, should we…? 3F, okay.”

Alex froze instantly upon hearing his brother’s room number, everything suddenly catching up with him. “I can’t do this.” It was only meant to be a thought, but somehow the words seemed to escape his lips making him cringe. _Now you think I’m an awful person…_

“What? Of course you can. We’re just going to go upstairs, everything is going to be fine, Alex. You’ve come back to see him, that says an awful lot-“

“You don’t get it! He wouldn’t be _here_ if it wasn’t for me! I did this. I can’t go up there and look Marc and Dani in the eye after I’ve hurt them so much. They’re not going to want to see me.”

“You did nothing wrong, Alex! Why can’t you see that? Yes, you fell in love with someone that really wasn’t ideal but it’s not a crime so there’s no need to act so guilty. I understand why you feel responsible but you’re not. You need to be easier on yourself. Let me tell you something, you may be his brother but I know Marc too- I know _both_ of you and I love _both_ of you as if you were my own sons. You go up to that room, the last thing Marc is going to do is blame you because he loves you too. He’s going to forget everything he said the minute you walk through the door. I can guarantee you that.”

As much as Alex tried to hide it, he felt a swell in his chest at his manager’s words and knew he was right. He was absolutely terrified of losing Marc because he loved him _so_ much, so much that the thought of life without him or hurting him caused him unbearable pain. But there was still one thing he needed to think about… “What about Dani? I slept with his best friend. He’s not going to forgive me for that…”

Emilio was just about to open his mouth to answer that when another voice said “Why don’t you let me answer that one for myself?”


	60. Coming Around Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, two chapters two days in a row! :O I actually think the last time this happened was when I started this story around this time last year and I had to upload a couple of chapters before I went on holidays. That race today was very inspiring (ignoring _that_ part)! This is also the 60th chapter! Which is why I now have to ask myself how the hell that happened... But thank you all for sticking with me nonetheless! I love you all :) ♥

“I’m just… going to see Julia and Roser,” Emilio excused himself, taking a couple of seconds to watch the two motorcyclists before finally leaving them alone. Whatever they needed to talk about could do with being said while he wasn’t present.

Alex’s heart thudded violently against his chest. He’d never felt like such a coward in his life. Standing there in front of Dani, finally having to look him in the eye after everything that had happened, made his skin crawl. _This is one of the reasons I wanted to leave in the first place._

“Dani-“

“He’s okay- they’re both okay,” Dani informed him straight out, feeling a little bit weird about the situation himself. Seeing his future brother in law for the first time since all of this came to light was strange to say the least, especially as now he couldn’t even look at him without thoughts of Valentino invading his head. _I’m really not sure what I should say to you…_

Breathing in a deep sigh of relief, Alex felt the strength leave his legs as his knees wobbled and had to sink down into one of the faux leather red seats. Relief was something, as a motorcycle racer, that he felt quite a lot when there were close calls but his understanding of the word changed completely the minute he felt those couple of words leave Dani’s mouth. _They’re okay._ Suddenly overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions he was feeling, he let his head fall into his hands as tears of pure relief mixed with regret and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on, began to trickle down his cheeks.

Dani wearily kneaded his eyes, the amount of travelling in addition to the lack of sleep and stress meaning that he was almost like a zombie, and quietly sat down next to the younger man.

“Will you… will you tell him that I’m sorry? That I didn’t mean for any of this to happen? I know he’s probably not going to forgive me but I… just…”

The reality of the situation caused Dani to shudder. _What am I witnessing? This is not the way it’s meant to be._ “No. I’m not going to tell him that. I’m not going to tell him that, because you are. You’re going to go see him.”

The younger man’s head snapped up and it was then that he really saw just how horrible and hurt Alex looked; his skin was paler than he’d ever seen it, almost waxy, and his eyes were irritated to such a point that they had turned an angry red colour. “He really doesn’t need to see me right now. I caused all this, showing up here is just going to make everything worse. You said he’s okay? I want it to stay that way.”

“Alex, listen to me,” Dani said calmly, waiting until he had the Moto3 rider’s full (albeit reluctant) attention before he continued, “I know none of this happened the way it was meant to- well, should have is probably a better way to put it- but you know Marc loves you, right? That’s why he got so upset. Actually, that’s why we _both_ got so upset. And I know I may sound like I’m your father right now but you need to hear this: he does not blame you. When we were waiting for the doctor and he was completely terrified, he wanted you there with him, said he needed you. And he still does, okay? So you need to go see him and make him feel like everything is alright once again. Tonight was really scary for everyone but it proved that Marquezes are stronger together.”

“3F?” Alex asked after a couple of seconds, once everything that Dani had to say had sunk in. He wanted to say that he really couldn’t begin to think of anyone who would be a better match for his brother than Dani, but decided against it, fearing his emotions were too off balance to get into something like that right now.

“3F,” the older rider confirmed with a small smile, rising from his seat and outstretching his arm for his fiancé’s brother, “I’ll lead the way.”

 

Marc frowned at the sound of knocking at the door, confused as to who would be there. Dani obviously wouldn’t knock, neither would his parents, the nurse and doctor had already come and gone. “Come in!”

“Hi…” Alex said, cringing at the sound of his own voice, as he stuck his head in the door. “Mind if I come in?”

Marc could have cried- no, scratch that, he _did_ cry- at the sight of his brother standing there, all the harsh feelings from earlier on so gone that he couldn’t even believe they had been there in the first place. A weight that he hadn’t even known he had been carrying was suddenly lifted from his shoulders, making it feel like he could breathe, _really_ breathe, for the first time in almost a day. “Of course,” he answered, eyes stinging and voice uneasy, scared that this was all a dream.

Slowly making his way inside, looking everywhere but at his brother, Alex stopped at the end of the bed having decided that it was an appropriate distance. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” the older rider offered, discretely attempting to wipe a couple of rogue tears that had found their way onto his cheeks, “Everything is fine. My blood pressure is just a bit high. He’s fine too. Now, please, come over here and give me a hug because I fucked up majorly and I’m sorry.”

Only too happy to comply with his brother’s request, Alex made his way around to the other side and sat down on the edge of the bed. The two Marquez boys embraced, Alex having to remind himself not to squeeze too hard for fear of actually doing some damage to the two of them. “I’m sorry, I’m _so_ sorry. I should have told you-“

“Don’t. I shouldn’t have lost it like that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still not thrilled but having you here is more important than that.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me. I got the first flight I could…”

Marc’s eyes immediately narrowed at that and Alex could see that he was trying his hardest to make his expressive as passive as humanly possible. “From Italy?”

_I get why you would think that._ “No, from Barcelona. I flew back after I left Dani’s. I was planning on staying with Emilio for a couple of days but then dad rang him and he told me what had happened… I came as quick as I could.”

“You really didn’t go to Italy?” the older rider arched an eyebrow.

Smiling sadly, Alex shrugged. “I needed some time to myself.

“Then why not just go home?”

“Honestly? I have no idea. It was all a blur; as soon as I left the house I called Emilio. I don’t know why but I’m glad I did.”

“He’s here?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t going to come up here. Dani came downstairs to meet us and Emilio went to find mom and dad so we could talk.”

Marc’s expression quickly turned into one of confusion, a little crease forming between his eyebrows. “You weren’t going to come up?”

_You’re taking this the wrong way…_ “I didn’t think you’d want me to. The last thing I wanted to do was cause more damage.”

“Don’t ever think like that, no matter how big of a fight we have. I need you- _we_ ,” Marc made a show gently caressing his stomach, “need you. How am I supposed to explain to my son that his godfather abandoned us?” he finished, a wry smile now in place.

Alex stopped, really stopped at that. _Wait…_ “You want me to be his godfather?”

Marc grinned and nodded. Although he hadn’t discussed telling him with Dani, he was sure that his fiancé would agree that now was as appropriate a time as any to break the news. Something good had to come of this. “Who else were we going to pick? You’re the perfect candidate.”

“Don’t let Eric hear that,” he chuckled, just incredibly humbled by the whole thing. Of course, he thought that he would possibly be an option but expected them to lean more in favour of Eric, who was older and didn’t ride bikes for a living.

“We discussed it. I was willing to weigh up the pros and cons of both of you for the sake of fairness but Dani had unofficially given you the job from the start.”

_I have no idea what to say._ “I’m flattered.”

Marc chuckled. “You should be, it’s a highly coveted role. I’m going to let Dani break the news to Eric… That’s not something I want to be around for.”

“Thank you. Seriously, Marc, it means the world to me. I can’t wait to meet him.”

“Neither can I,” he smiled, a small yawn escaping despite his best efforts. _You saw that…_

“You must be exhausted. I’m going to go and let you sleep. Will you be coming home tomorrow?”

“I doubt it. The doctor said at least two days, which probably means three. I’ve got plenty of time to sleep… I’ve been put on bed rest until the little one’s arrival. That’s going to be fun.”

_And now I feel even worse._ “I’m so sorry-“

Marc gave him a look that clearly said ‘don’t you dare’… “Don’t. I complain but that’s pretty much what I’ll be doing for the next six weeks anyway. I assume that ‘bed rest’ also includes the couch so it’s going to be like nothing has changed. Go home and get some sleep and take mom and dad and Emilio with you. I tried to tell Dani that he should go home and get some proper rest but he didn’t listen to a word I said.”

“Pff, did you really think he would? If the roles were reversed would you go home and leave him here by himself?”

“Okay, I get your point but still. He’s basically been up for twenty four hours. It hasn’t really been an easy day for anyone…”

_Yeah, you can say that again. But thank you for not mentioning him._ “I’ll come back tomorrow morning and we can send Dani home for a while. Call me if there’s anything you need, I don’t care what hour of the night it is.”

“Pff, I’m probably going to fall asleep in ten minutes and sleep until eleven o’clock tomorrow morning. If you hear anything from me during the night you should be very worried!” Upon seeing the very reproachful look on his brother’s face that clearly said ‘not funny’, Marc bit his lip. “Sorry.”

 

Alex gave him another hug before leaving, running into Dani and co on the stairs. Roser practically pushed her husband out of the way as she rushed towards her youngest, pulling him into a bone crushing hug and ranting in Catalan about how she would kill him for leaving like that. He eventually managed to escape after apologising approximately 34.5 times and promising to tell her what was going on in the morning.

Emilio decided to accompany Dani back to Marc’s room to say hello to his rider and see how he was briefly before heading back to the house. The oldest rider had already given his keys to Julia earlier on when he had driven them all to the hospital, Dani electing to stay in the backseat with his fiancé. About five minutes later, Emilio reappeared and they were all ready to leave. The drive back to Dani’s and Marc’s was relatively quiet, everyone yearning for their beds, with little small talk about things that completely edged around the day’s events.

Alex felt like a complete idiot for ever leaving the minute he stepped inside the front door, the familiarity really making him realise how rash a decision he had made. He insisted that Emilio have his room as a repayment of sorts for all the trouble he had put him through, refusing to take no for an answer when his manager assured him the couch would do. Instead, he pulled the mattress that was (unsurprisingly) still obstructing the hall into the nursery and just grabbed some blankets and pillows from the press. It actually seemed to be a better alternative to his own room, sparing him the currently intrusive reminders of the nights when Vale would sneak down the hall to sleep with him with an unsuspecting Dani and Marc in the next room.

_I really don’t know where we’re going to go from here…_


	61. I'm Trusting You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This would have come sooner only for the fact that I hated the original version I had written and wrote it again from scratch. But here it is now :)

Alex was awoken at god knows what hour of the morning by the sound of bustling and chattering downstairs, causing him to groan like the teenager he was and pull the pillow over his head in frustration. He was about to drift back to sleep again when he realised that he needed to get up and go to the hospital so that Dani could go home and get some rest. So, although it killed him, Alex removed the pillow and reached out to grab his phone from the floor next to the mattress to check the time. 9:50… _about time I got up anyway._ There were a couple of messages on his phone and he smiled when he saw they were all from Vale.

Vale: Hi… are you asleep?

Vale: I guess you are. Okay, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Love you xx

Vale: Okay, it can’t wait until tomorrow. I’m coming to Geneva, please don’t be mad. I NEED to do this. I’ll see you in the morning. Xx

Upon reading that last message, Alex immediately sat up straight, a feeling of bling panic instantly washing over him. _Oh my god. This is not good… this is definitely not good._ He wondered what the hell his boyfriend was thinking, surely Geneva was the _last_ place he would want to be after everything that had happened. But Alex more or less understood what he wanted to do; he probably would have done the same if the roles were reversed. That still didn’t change the fact that it was stupid, Marc and Dani may have been forgiving of him but Valentino would be a completely different story…

_Someone is going to be murdered. And we all know who that someone is._

It wasn’t just Dani and Marc Alex was concerned about, his parents were also here. His parents, who had absolutely no idea of the extent of the Italian’s role in the previous day’s drama. It was not a winning combination.

Looking at the time of the messages, he saw the last had been sent a little after three o’clock in the morning and it was now after ten… plenty of time to get from Bologna to Geneva if he were flying. If he were driving… Alex may have just had time. Without a second’s hesitation, he pressed the call button and tapped his hand against the mattress out of pure agitation. _Pick up or so help me god…_

“You got my messages,” was the simple greeting he received when his boyfriend answered.

_Yeah, sure, fine. Let’s be all casual about this…_ “Yes I got your messages! Where are you? Have you got some kind of a death wish? Because I think I prefer you alive!”

“I’m at my hotel. My flight got in just over an hour ago. I’m sorry I never discussed this with you and I don’t expect you to understand but Dani was- _is_ \- my best friend and I need to fix this before it completely ruins everything. Again, I’m sorry.”

Alex paused for a moment, trying to decide how he should react to that. “I know exactly why you had to do it, it’s just… I’m worried for everyone’s sake. So what’s the plan, huh? Are you going to go to the hospital?”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. “Yes. I thought about going to the house but Dani probably won’t be there and your parents will and I don’t even know if they know…”

“You’re right. And Emilio. And no, they don’t so it’s probably best that you didn’t. You’re really set on doing this?”

“Yes. I know that if I can just make him see that this is for real…”

“Who are you trying to convince? Dani or Marc?”

“Strangely, I think Marc.”

_I think Marc too. And I can’t believe I’m doing this…_ “How about I come meet you at your hotel and we can have breakfast and see where we go from there?” As much as the whole thing scared the shit out of him, Valentino was still the man he loved and he missed him so the fact that the thought of meeting him made little fluttering butterflies materialise in his stomach didn’t make him feel that guilty.

“Sounds perfect. I’m at the Moevenpick. Meet you in the restaurant?”

After muttering his assent, Alex hung up the phone and groaned inward at the thought of having to go down stairs and face everyone. He needed to move swiftly, get out of the house as soon as possible because there definitely wasn’t time for him to explain everything. Grabbing the first set of clothes that came to hand, Alex quickly dressed and in under five minutes was ready to head downstairs.

Unsurprisingly, everyone was up, all gathered around the breakfast counter. The smell of eggs and bacon wafting from the stove made him realise just how hungry he was; it had been nearly twenty four hours since he had last eaten properly and almost made him want to stop. _Almost._

“Morning,” Roser smiled, giving her youngest a kiss on the cheek. “You must be hungry. There’s food just ready. Coffee’s in the press.”

_Hopefully this will be easy enough._ “Thanks but I’m going straight to the hospital, I’ll grab something along the way. I told Dani I’d stay with Marc so he could go home and get some sleep.”

“Are you sure everything is okay?” his mother wondered, arching an eyebrow in suspicion, “You look… on edge.”

_Of course you’d notice…_ “Nope, everything’s fine,” he lied, throwing in a smile for effect. Alex tried desperately to ignore the sideways glance he was getting from his manager. “I’m just eager to see Marc. I’m going to take Dani’s car, if that’s okay? He can drive it back here then.” Roser obviously still had her worries but thankfully Julia tossed him the keys and he managed to get out of there fairly quickly. _And that was the easy part._

 

Almost stopping in his tracks as soon as his tracks once he had made eye contact with those familiar blue eyes, Alex felt his breath hitch slightly as it always did whenever he saw Valentino. _How are you mine?_ He managed to keep his composure for appearance’s sake as he navigated between the tables to get to where his boyfriend was sitting next to the window. Vale stood, leaning in to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek that clearly stated his desire to be less innocent.

“Hola, chico. Comó estás?”

Valentino’s attempts at speaking Spanish never failed to make him smile and he was definitely thankfully for the façade of normality. _At least you try._ “I’ve been better…” Alex admitted as he took a seat opposite the older man, “Can we order? I’m absolutely starving. Eating hasn’t exactly been a priority…”

“Already done. I guessed that.”

“Oh, thanks.”

“Is Marc okay?” Vale wondered, the beginnings of an awkward silence almost making him squirm. _We shouldn’t be like this._

“He’s fine. Just high blood pressure but he’s on bed rest until the end just to limit the chance of any complications. Still scary as fuck though.”

_I can’t even imagine. And_ I _did that._ “Yeah, I get it. But things are okay between you two now?”

_Fortunately, yes._ Alex nodded, unable to keep the smile on his face as he recalled. “Yeah but I should have been there. He was scared and I should have been there with him. But… yeah I can’t change that now. So you better make sure you know what you’re doing because I’m trusting you with this, okay? You know I love you but please don’t make me regret this.”

 

“Morning,” Alex smiled, genuine this time, as he entered the hospital room and saw his brother and Dani comfortably cuddled up on the bed. _That definitely wouldn’t work with me and Valentino…_ “How are you feeling?”

“Morning,” Marc grinned back, shifting so he was sitting up, “Good. Cesc seems to have returned to being active during the day instead of night now so I slept really well last night. I wish I was going home today though.”

“Hopefully you’ll be allowed home tomorrow,” his fiancé commented, placing a kiss atop his head.

“Good, because the only help I need is from Nurse Dani…”

_Oh my god…_ Alex didn’t know whether to laugh or blush furiously at that so he settled for a mixture of the two. “I think I may go back to Barcelona again…”

“Nope, no Barcelona for you. You’re staying right here. And you,” he pointed his finger at Dani, “go home. Alex can mind me for a couple of hours. Get some sleep and something proper to eat.”

Of course, Dani protested, stating that he was fine but his fiancé (and Alex for that matter) was having absolutely none of it. Eventually, they managed to convince the older rider that nothing would fall apart or go wrong in the couple of hours he was gone and Dani left, Alex tossing him his keys on the way out the door, with a declaration of love that seemed a little bit out of place for someone that wasn’t on their deathbed.

The two brothers sat and talked for around ten minutes, Alex marvelling at how at ease Marc looked in comparison to the previous night. With every second that went by, however, he was the one that became ill at ease as he searched for the best way to broach the subject with his brother, knowing that Valentino would be impatiently waiting. Turns out, he didn’t have to.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” Marc asked out of nowhere, eyes narrowed.

“What?” Alex cringed at his own attempt at sounding natural.

“Don’t give me that, I know you which means I know when there’s something up and I’m telling you there’s something up. So tell me what it is. What do you know that I don’t? I’m not dying, am I?” he added at the end, cracking a smile.

He shot his brother a grimace. “That’s not funny, Marc.”

“God… so touchy. Fine then, _tell me_!”

_How exactly do I tell you this? Oh hey, by the way, the person who stressed you out so much that you ended up in here in the first place wants to talk to you…_ Chewing anxiously on his lower lip, Alex leaned forward in his chair, desperately trying to come up with a way of saying this that wouldn’t involve a complete freak out on his brother’s part. “I want to tell you, I’m just afraid of how you’re going to react…”

Getting a very weird sense of déja vu that seemed to instantly dampen his mood, Marc frowned, knowing that chances were he wouldn’t like what he was about to hear. “Tell me anyway; I think we’ve learned that secrets aren’t good. I’ll try my best not to react badly…”

_I really don’t think this is going to get any easier, so…_ “He wants to talk to you.”

Brow furrowing in confusion, it took him a moment to figure out who the ‘he’ his brother was referring to was. _You have got to be kidding me._ “He wants to _talk_ to _me_? Really? He should have _talked_ to me back in November! A simple ‘hey, I’m thinking about fucking your little brother; what do you think?’ would have sufficed!”

“Marc, I don’t want to upset you. That’s the last thing I want and if it’s too much I’ll understand but I really think you should listen to what he’s got to say. I’m begging you to. If you do and you still think it’s a bad idea… Well, we’ll deal with that later. Trust me, I wouldn’t do this if I thought he would just come in here and upset you more-“

“He’s _here_?”

_I guess I never mentioned that._ “He is. And I can tell him to go away if you want- I _will_ tell him to go away if that’s what you want.”

“You know if Dani was here there would probably be a murder…” One look at Alex’s guilty face told him all he needed to know, “That was part of the plan, wasn’t it?”

_I am such a horrible person._ “Yes,” he admitted, cheeks burning, “I’m so sorry, Marc-“

“I’ll talk to him.”

“ _What?_ ”

“I’ll talk to him but I reserve the right to kick him out any time I please. And you’re going to have to deal with the fallout if Dani finds out about this.”

_I can’t believe you’re actually agreeing to this…_ “Marc?”

“Yeah?”

_I love you so much._ “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means…”

_I love you, too._ “I’m not making any promises,” Marc informed him but was helpless to stop the corners of his mouth from tugging upwards.


	62. Never Meant to Start a War

“Hi…”

“Hello,” Marc replied politely, keeping his expression as passive as possible as the older rider stuck his head in through the opening of the door.

 _You don’t look completely disgusted… Or maybe you’re just hiding it well._ “Can I come in? Alex said…”

“Yes. Unless you want to talk from all the way outside in the hall.”

Vale didn’t know whether to cringe or be relieved by that little dig. _At least you still seem like yourself…_ “How are you feeling?” he asked, completely genuine, as he entered the room and closed the door firmly shut behind him. The last thing he needed was for someone to overhear.

Marc gave a little shrug, shifting position so that he was sitting up straight and tried his best not to smile when the movement was almost echoed in his abdomen. “Fine. I just want to get out of here but they won’t let me go until tomorrow morning at the earliest so…”

“Cesc… he’s okay?”

“He’s fine.”

 _Right._ “Good.” He opened his mouth but quickly closed it again. “I am very sorry, Marc. But not for loving your brother, I will not apologise for that.”

_And here we go._

 

* 

“How is he?”

Alex cringed at the question, making a sort of an ‘eek’ expression that, thankfully, his manager couldn’t see. “He was fine the last time I saw him.”

Silence. _You obviously took that the way I meant it._ “The last time? What’s going on? You left in a hurry this morning...”

 _Promise you won’t get mad._ Chewing nervously on his bottom lip, he considered for a moment whether telling Emilio was actually a good idea or the worst he’d ever had. “Is Dani there with you?”

“No, Dani’s currently being force fed by your mother. Wait one minute, I’m just going to go outside… Okay. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Marc’s upstairs in his room… talking to Valentino.” _Now wait for the fireworks._

“ _He’s talking to Valentino?_ How the _hell_ did that happen? Who called who?”

Feeling like a six year old boy who had just broken his mother’s favourite vase, Alex coughed, trying to buy himself a little bit of time. “Not over the phone… Face to face. Vale, uh, he flew to Geneva this morning. Before you say anything, he’s not here to antagonise him. He’s here to make things right with Marc _and_ Dani.”

There was a brief moment of silence on the other end of the line. _I can almost feel your blood pressure rising._ “Mother of God, _Alex._ I always thought _Marc_ was the magnet for drama. You do know that Dani is going to completely pissed? Probably worse than pissed, I really wouldn’t want to be Valentino…”

That was for sure, in fact, Alex strongly suspected that Dani may not talk to him ever again but that was a chance that he had to take. If Valentino managed to convince Marc, that would be half the battle. “I know. I’ll keep in touch, let you know how things go so you’ll be able to prepare him if… the need arises…”

There was an exasperated sigh on the other end of the line. “I can’t make any promises, okay? And just so you know, I’m not with you on this one. You’re on your own.”

*

“So why did you come here then? To rub it in my face? Or just for fun?”

 _I should have known that would be the conclusion that you jumped to._ “No, Marc, I came here to explain. I know you’ve probably already made up your mind about my relationship with Alex- even me- but I’m still going to try to change it-“

“So you see why I would be upset about this? My eighteen year old brother being in a ‘relationship’ with someone twice his age? Someone that I thought I could _trust_. So why don’t you tell me why that shouldn’t be the case, because I’m _really_ interested in hearing what you’ve got to say.” Marc squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to calm down in case his blood pressure went up again. _Please bear with me baby, I promise we can relax in a while…_

For a moment, sitting there as his colleague’s heart rate increased on the monitor and watching him make a conscious attempt to bring it down again, Vale almost regretted his decision to come see the younger man. Marc had matured so much in the past couple of months that it was almost like talking to a different person, a person who would give everything and anything up for their child. _I’m so, so sorry._ “Are you okay?” he asked, as genuine as he ever had been.

Taking a deep breath, Marc nodded. “I’m fine.”

“I’ll go if you want, if it’s too much? I _really_ don’t want you to suffer any more than you already have because of me…”

“No, it’s okay. I’ve got it under control. You can explain now.”

 _Well here goes nothing._ Vale took a deep breath, the realisation that this was his opportunity, his only chance to make things right, suddenly weighing heavy on him. “I love him. You may think it may be easy for me to just say that and I doubt that you believe it but I do. I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone before. The night of your championship was when it all started, just in case you wanted to know how long it’s been going on for. I tried to change his mind, Marc, I really did. Because, despite what I was feeling, I knew it would be seen as wrong for us to be anything more than friends and I thought he deserved more than that. But I couldn’t, it just became impossible. The morning after I felt so disgusted with myself, like I’d just taken advantage of him, and I left. Not just the room or the hotel, the country. But that’s the worst thing I could have done, I know that now.”

He saw the flash of realisation in Marc’s eyes as he put two and two together and the younger man frowned when it became clear that the Italian was responsible for a lot more than he had originally thought. “Alex never lost his phone when I was in Crete.”

“No, he didn’t. Dani was worried about you and Alex, he rang Jorge who had obviously noticed something was going on between us and contacted me. I thought leaving Alex was the best, it was the only option that seemed to make sense to me. But it didn’t, it just made things worse because he stopped talking to you. I went to Cervera to fix things, to explain why I did what I did.

“That’s when it really started. I couldn’t walk away, I know it may make me weak but I don’t care. I saw how hurt he was, the pain I had caused him and it physically _hurt_. I took one look at him and all I knew was that I would give anything to take that pain away. If you had seen…” he shook his head to himself, not wanting to revisit those memories, the part of that night that still haunted his dreams, again, “There was one thing I knew for sure: I couldn’t look him in the eye and tell him that I didn’t care when the complete opposite was true. Even if that meant being the bad guy. It was a price that I was more than willing to pay if it meant that _he_ was happy.”

Marc stared at him for a moment, words failing him. _I honestly don’t know what to say to that._ The last thing he wanted was to understand the Italian’s point of view but it was impossible to ignore the emotion in his words, the familiar intensity of loving someone with such burning passion that you would give up anything for them just to be happy. He thought of Dani. _What if I was a couple of years younger? What if everybody told us that we couldn’t- shouldn’t- be together? What if we never got a chance to make this baby?_

But there was one massive part that couldn’t be so easily explained. “Why did you keep it from us?”

Vale frowned, honestly believing that his ears were deceiving him. Surely that was not the question that should follow his declaration. _That’s not how I expected this to go._ “Your reaction should answer that question for you.”

 _You honestly don’t get it._ “You don’t think the secrecy made all this worse? You don’t think that if you two had actually sat down and talked about it with us that maybe our reactions wouldn’t have been so extreme? Dani had to find out that his best friend was dating his future brother in law from _Jorge-fucking-Lorenzo_. Alex only told _me_ because Dani knew. Would we approve of it anyway? Probably not, but the way that things happened only made it worse. Do you know how awful it is to find out the person that you thought you knew better than you know yourself is keeping such a massive part of their life from you?” Marc finished, eyes beginning to sting, and he shook his head softly to himself.

“Am I happy about this relationship? No. Do I wish that it hadn’t happened? Yes. But I respect my brother and his capacity to make decisions as an adult so if you’re one of them then I’ll just have to put up with it. And don’t think for a moment that most of this couldn’t have been prevented if you had the balls to tell the truth.”

 *

Roser Alenta was a gift from god, that was one thing that Dani knew for sure. The smell of food, too much to even properly identify, hit him the minute he stepped foot inside the door. She fussed over him, telling him he looked exhausted, that he needed to eat, and served him up the most glorious looking eggs and bacon and toast that he had ever seen in his entire life. It practically melted in his mouth and Dani suddenly realised that it had been too long since he and Marc had had sex because the only way to describe it was orgasmic.

He filled them all in on how his fiancé was doing, having graduated from being unwell to just bored out of his mind but it was only two days in hospital, surely he would survive it. Dani was more worried about himself at home; Marc had all but ordered him to return to the house for a couple of hours, leaving him with absolutely no idea what to do with himself. Just going back to the hospital was something he strongly considered but ultimately decided against it, knowing full well that the younger man would just send him away again. _I want to be there with you, not here. I don’t want to be away from you for a minute longer than is absolutely necessary._

So, once he had finished eating, Dani gave his sincere thanks to his mother in law to be and climbed the stairs. Going to sleep for an hour or two seemed like a good way to pass the time; he’d be back in the hospital before he knew it. It wasn’t until he had climbed in under the covers, the scent he had come to know so well filling his nose, that he realised just why going home the previous night seemed like such an unappealing idea. Their bed was _their_ bed and without Marc it seemed too empty, too unfamiliar. It always seemed like a no-brainer to him that a hotel room in a foreign country where he knew practically no one was the worst but he was starting to realise that there was nothing lonelier than being at home in your own bed without the person who’s always meant to be there with you.

So he stared up at the ceiling, every attempt to close his eyes and fall asleep having failed thus far. It took those moments, where the rush of everything disappeared and it was just him alone with his thought, for Dani to realise just how terrified he was of everything; soon his life would change so drastically that he couldn’t even predict what it would be like in a couple of weeks, never mind a couple of months down the line. The baby would arrive, he would, of course, be delighted beyond any reasonable belief. But then what? He had his week or two at home with Marc and their son before he had to fly off to America and then onto Argentina before he could get back to Geneva again. Two weeks without seeing his fiancé and newborn baby seemed almost unbearable.

Dani was not ashamed to say that he cried thinking about it, wondering if Marc had already done the same. As daunting as it seemed for him, he knew that it was ten times as bad for his team mate who would be at home with the baby, not alone but without Dani to give him the support that he really needed. Guilt gripped him, twisting his stomach and heart, and for a moment he thought about taking a break and missing the American races but that would leave Honda without both of their riders and, although they would understand, Dani had a job to do.

Knowing that he couldn’t just go back to Marc in this mood (which would only cause the younger man to worry even more), Dani looked at his phone for something to distract him from his intrusive thoughts.

Something to distract him was _definitely_ what he got…

One new message.

Valentino: Hi. I don’t know if you’re going to open this or just delete it but I’m going to try anyway. I’m in Geneva and I want to talk. Please, hear me out. I know I’ve got no right to ask but I’ve still got to try. I’m so sorry.

Suddenly, he wasn’t so interested in sleeping anymore.


	63. Blue Eyes, Blue Eyes... (How can you tell so many lies?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, this one was hard! I had no idea how to do this and just happened to think of something to try this morning and I actually liked it (miraculously ;)) So here's the next chapter! I hope to post chapter 64 on Friday because I'm a stickler for symmetry :P Thank you all!

He knew from the look on Emilio’s face the minute he placed the phone down on the countertop in front of him that Marc’s and Alex’s confidant was privy to what was going on. _That really doesn’t surprise me._ Roser and Julia soon appeared, keeping a respectable distance from the two, trying to figure out what exactly had gotten Dani so worked up and what Emilio had to do with it.

“Is something wrong?” Julia finally managed to ask, breaking the stony silence that had seemed to engulf the room.

“No,” the Honda rider carefully enunciated, not looking away from the man standing before him, the bright blue eyes only making things worse, “I just have to go have a… _chat_ with Valentino Rossi.”

 

 *

Dani: Your hotel. Fifteen minutes.

So Marc hadn’t wanted his head on a platter, but the minute Vale saw the text come in from his best friend, he knew that Dani did. In the privacy of the deserted corridor they had found themselves in, Alex wrapped his arms around the older man’s front and gently rested his head on Valentino’s shoulder, craning to see what the message said.

Overjoyed, that was probably an accurate description of the Moto3 rider’s reaction after he had left Marc’s room, far from absolved of his sins but definitely a step in the right direction. Marc hadn’t made him choose, he _understood_ which was more than his brother could have hoped for. His smile, so like Marc’s, could have probably powered the whole of Geneva and made the Italian feel so much lighter. _It just might be okay._

But his reaction to that short message from his future brother in law was far from reassuring. It was almost funny, they had worried so much about Marc, deeming Dani to be the easier of the two as far as persuasion was concerned but it turned out the be the exact opposite. Dani was much more than merely angry, he felt betrayed and neither Valentino nor Alex could blame him from that. That was why it was so important that they fixed this before the relationship was permanently damaged.

“It’ll be okay. Just keep calm like you did with Marc,” Alex managed to reply, voice no more than a whisper, once he had managed to swallow the lump in his throat. “I love you, remember,” he mumbled, pressing his lips gently against his boyfriend’s neck.

Vale reached up, placing his hand over the younger man’s, his touch reassuring him more than words ever could. “I love you, too.”

 

He left the hospital pretty much straight away, wanting to get to the hotel before Dani did so as not to give the Spaniard any more reason to be pissed off than he already had. The whole way there he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, going through what he would say again and again, the usual Valentino Rossi confidence more or less useless when honesty and authenticity were needed to ensure a good outcome. _This would be an awful lot easier if you didn’t know me as well as you do. But then again, that might also work to my advantage._

Pulling the car into the hotel car park, Vale scanned the mass of vehicles for any signs of Dani but, much to his relief, found that he was not yet there. So he stayed a little longer in the car, hands still clasped loosely around the wheel as he attempted to gather himself, to find that extra little bit of _something_ to just get him through all of this. After a minute or two had gone by, Vale removed the keys from the ignition, looking briefly in the mirror at himself before exiting the car and heading inside. He passed many people on the way up to his room, some showing mild interest in him, most going about their business without a second glance. _I know why Dani loves it here, it always feels like a breath of fresh air._ Soon he was inside, a weird sense of calm before the story setting in as he sat, perched on the very edge of the bed, and waited. And waited.

He was just about to give up hope when there was the definite sound of a knock on the door.

 

*

Marc: Hi… sorry about anything Dani might have said to you. It’s not your fault. I guess it was easier to blame you too.

Jorge: It’s okay, I understand. Is everything okay now?

Marc: No, not okay. Just… fine. I’d kinda rather have a brother than none, you know. I’m not sure about Dani… that could go either way and I’m still waiting to hear back.

Jorge: Is Dani not with you? I don’t understand…

Marc: No, I’m still stuck in the hospital. Vale came to see me and he kind of explained. I’m not sure if Dani will accept that though :/ I think they’re meeting now.

Jorge: Hospital? What happened? Is the baby okay?

Marc: Yeah, he’s fine. High blood pressure after everything that happened :/ I’m fine but I have to stay for at least two days and then it’s bed rest for me until the end. I’m holding interviews for servants in a couple of days ;)

Jorge: Sounds intense. Sorry if I contributed to that… If I could do it over I would change everything.

Marc: There’s nothing you could have done. It’s not on you.

 

*

“Dani,” he almost exhaled the name, the sight of his colleague and friend standing in front of him honestly shocking, “I didn’t think you would come.”

Brushing by the older rider, Dani made his way inside the room, what he was wanting to say not fit for public consumption. _Be strong._ “Yeah, I turned around to go to the hospital instead but when I got there I changed my mind. So…”

“You’re here.”

“I’m here.” Biting his lip so hard that he began to taste blood, Dani balled his fists at his side, wanting more than anything to give the Italian one punch, one good punch, but hindered by the fact that he was quite a bit smaller than him. _You’re so lucky._

“Dani-“

“What, Valentino? _What?_ What is it you’re trying to achieve, huh? I just want you to be fucking honest with me for _once_.”

 _That is not fair._ “I’ve always been honest with you, Dani-“

Dani, who was pretty sure that he was going to burst a blood vessel at this point, stared at the older man in complete incredulity. _Are you fucking kidding me?_ “You weren’t honest with me when you were fucking my brother in law! The _one_ thing I would have wanted you to be honest about! Fuck everything else.”

Vale shook his head to himself for a moment, the whole thing not going the opposite of how he wanted, to calmly explain everything without getting into a shouting match. But that was never really going to happen, he knew that. Still, it didn’t stop him hoping that Dani would just take a minute to listen to what he had to say after everything they’d been through. “Yes, it’s a fucked up situation, I get that more than anyone. I tried to avoid it but… anyway, that doesn’t matter now, it’s done. You shouldn’t have had to find all this out for Jorge of all people, I know that and I’m so sorry but how much better would your reaction have been if I told you myself? Sat you down alone and told you that I was seeing Alex?”

 _You’re acting like that’s the whole problem._ “You’re missing the point! Of course I would still have been angry, I don’t like any fucking bit of it. But I just want to know _why._ ”

“Why what?”

“Why you even _looked_ at him in the first place. What’s in it for you, that’s what I’ve been going over and over again in my head trying to figure out. Is it the sex? He’s young and athletic…”

Vale clenched his jaw, all of his fears suddenly confirmed. _Do not take us down this road._ There were so many things floating around his head, things he had bitten back for a reason but they kept rearing their heads like an infestation of ants, nipping at him, making him want to snap. He didn’t want to voice any of them, he didn’t want to hurt Dani despite everything that happened, but it was so hard. _The only person who can salvage this relationship is me._ And yet he couldn’t help himself.

“Was it the same for you?” _Yeah, that seems to have quietened you a bit._

“ _Excuse me?_ ”

He knew that he should just say that it was nothing, brush it under the carpet with everything else, but Vale couldn’t bring himself to do it. Yeah, he’d hurt Dani, that was evident. But Dani had hurt him too, this guy who was supposed to know him, his best friend, and he fucking just instantly thought the worst of him. _What kind of friendship is that?_ “With Marc. Was it the youth and athleticism that did it for you? Or the eyes? The innocence? What was it that made you stop and think, ‘yeah, I’d like to fuck him’?”

 _You’re a fucking asshole._ “Don’t talk about him like that.”

Vale shrugged, feigning innocence. “I’m just following your example. It couldn’t have because you just liked him as a person though, could it? Because you’re older than him. Seven years. Clearly it must have been the sex. I wouldn’t blame you, though.”

Suddenly, something just snapped inside of Dani and like an elastic band that had reached it’s limit, he sprung forward, hands now clenched in the older man’s shirt as he used all his force to push Valentino up against the wall, almost dislodging a framed photo of Lake Geneva in the process. Rage penetrated every single cell in his body and he fought the urge to do some real physical harm to his former best friend. “Don’t you fucking dare… I’m warning you.”

Certain that Dani wouldn’t actually hurt him and, even if he did, not really caring that much, Valentino made no effort to escape the younger man’s grip. “Dare what? You know, it’s funny; Marc was able to see the hypocrisy of the situation a lot quicker than you…” The Repsol rider remained quiet so Vale took that as his cue to continue. “You and Marc aren’t too dissimilar to Alex and I. Okay, I have more years on Alex than you have on Marc, granted, but we’re not too different. Except you’ve got your baby and your house and the wedding and we… well, who knows, right? But what I have with him is no less real than what you have with Marc, it just may not look as good. Luckily, I’ve long stopped worrying about what people think of me. It doesn’t bother me, what they’re going to say about me if and when we decide to go public. It’s my fucking life and I’m not hurting anyone. Alex is young but he’s still old enough to make his own decisions. And I love him, which you never once stopped to ask but there you go.”

Dani’s fingers unwound from his shirt and took a step, desperately needing some space of his own to think. Blue eyes continued to stare right through him and he found himself having to avert his gaze, the intensity becoming a little too much to bear. _What am I even supposed to make of that?_ For over a minute, the only sound that filled the room was breathing, a little on the unsteady side, and the low hum of traffic and people in the corridor and outside on the street. Dani found himself having to concede, making his way towards the door without saying another word. His hand hovered over the handle and he risked a glance back at his friend, only to see he hadn’t moved an inch but wore an expression that seemed to suggest that he may have gotten what he wanted.

“See you in Sepang, then.”


	64. Turning a (Stoner) Corner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is officially 1 year old! This day last year (Friday of Assen because I'm useless at checking dates, it was the 25th yesterday) I published the first couple of chapters of this before going on holidays and I was definitely not expecting the response that I got. THANK YOU ALL. Seriously, for everything. Hopefully I won't have to write this message again this day next year ;) (I'm joking! We're close enough to the end now... I think) And over 300 kudos? That is amazing! That means that over three hundred people like this story, which is completely incredible. ♥ ♥ ♥
> 
> Also, thank you to JustLyra for supplying some of the information in this one ;) ♥

“ _Dani_!”

He jolted, suddenly pulled from some far off place between sleep and unconsciousness by Marc’s screech in the bed next to him. His eyes shot open, heart thudding violently with worry that something was seriously wrong with the younger man. “What? What’s wrong?” Bolting upright, Dani frowned in confusion when he saw that Marc seemed to be in no physical pain, instead just staring at his phone with a look on his face that clearly showed his absolute horror, mouth open wide and brown eyes bulging.  

“ _Casey Stoner?!_ ”

Sighing, he dropped back onto the pillow once again, hand coming to rest over his heart as he breathed deeply. _Jesus, I thought there was an emergency._ It had been just under two weeks since Marc had been discharged from the hospital and, with every day that went by bringing them closer and closer to _that_ date, Dani had started to become an anxious mess. I _have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about._ “Casey? What about him?”

“Emilio just forwarded an email from Suppo, they’re going with Casey as my replacement!”

 _And I can tell from the look on your face that this is a bad thing…_ “Casey seems like a good choice. He’s got the experience, Honda know him well, he’s not riding…”

Marc’s jaw fell open, brown eyes narrowing at the older rider, making the betrayal known. “A _good_ choice? He’s a world champion, Dani! Who just so happens to be in great condition. I’m never getting that bike back now. I think this is Honda’s way of telling me to stay with the baby and not bother coming back.”

 _Are you serious? Really?_ “Marc, that’s not what they’re doing. Casey’s fantastic but he’s not _you_ and _you_ are what Honda want. He’s won his championships, you’re just at the beginning of your career. And if I were Honda, I know who I would prefer and I’m not just saying that because I’m going to marry you, I’m saying it because it’s true. Casey has no intention of coming back for good and, even if he did, he wouldn’t be coming back to Repsol Honda. The only way that would happen is if they gave him my ride.”

 _Are you kidding me?_ “Dani! You’re literally not helping at all! Do you think I want to have Casey on the other side of the garage instead of you?”

Having to fight very hard to stop himself from rolling his eyes at his fiancé, Dani bit down hard on the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood. “Marc, listen. I get that you’re feeling a bit insecure but you have absolutely nothing to be worried about. We’re both under contract for the moment and I know what you’re thinking, contracts can be bought out of but do you really think that Alberto and Emilio are going to let them terminate with either of us without dragging the Repsol Honda name through the mud? Relax, okay? I’ll be seeing Casey in a couple of days and I’ll have a word with him if you want to make sure that we’re one hundred percent on the same page.”

The truth was, Dani understood only too well the doubts that were going through the younger man’s mind. They were the same doubts that plagued him any time he picked up another injury; _they’re going to lose patience… this time will be the last time…_ And that always seemed to tear him apart, regardless of the precedent that had been set. Those niggling pieces of self-doubt that quickly turned into paranoia when the chips were down, haunting his dreams, causing him to reach for the bottle more often than he would care to admit… It was easy for things to get out of hand. And that was the last thing he wanted for Marc, not when this was supposed to be such a positive and life changing time for the both of them.

Marc gave a little nod, clearly not yet completely at ease, and shuffled so that he was lying on the flat of his back once again. Dani altered his position to suit his fiancé’s, draping one arm over their child, which he had done since it had become harder and harder for Marc to find a position that he was comfortable in. “Everything’s going to be fine,” the older rider assured him, voice no louder than was necessary to be heard, before placing a feather light kiss on his temple, “I promise.”

 

Naturally, the internet exploded once again when word was officially given that Casey would replace Marc for the beginning of the season, causing both uproar and confusion in equal parts. Devastated fans sent him messages of sympathy and well wishes, enthusiasts and pundits alike prematurely mourned the loss of a would-be future superstar because there was no way such as drawn out absence could spell anything but the end of what had been an incredibly promising career, sceptics firmly stated that Honda were insane to keep a rider who had been plagued by an (understated) injury for a good portion of his rookie year on its books.  

The fact that the team had chosen to go with _Casey Stoner_ of all people, a rider who had retired long before his time for the simple reason that he didn’t want to compete anymore, certainly made it seem as if Honda were making long-term plans and not just for a couple of races. Some were of the opinion that Marc’s absence from the Repsol Honda dynamic was the team’s way of ousting him after coming out so publicly at the very end of the season. Both Dani and Marc had to admit that it wasn’t a completely bizarre conclusion to come to which was why the latter knew that he had to do all he could to dismiss those claims, owing it to the team that had been so good to him in so many ways to save their reputation from any permanent damage.

@marcmarquez93: Thank you for all your messages of support, it really means the world to me that I have such amazing fans. I will be back riding for REPSOL Honda in 2014. I am not retiring but you can bet I will be having a go at beating @ValeYellow46’s record!

@ValeYellow46: @marcmarquez93 I better start racking up the points ;) #getwellsoon

@Official_CS27: Wishing a speedy recovering to my mate @marcmarquez93. I’ll take care of her for you!

@lorenzo99: Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things that you thought you once couldn’t.

@26_DaniPedrosa: “@marcmarquez93: Thank you for all your messages of support, it really means the world to me that I have such amazing fans. I will be back riding for REPSOL Honda in 2014. I am not retiring but you can bet I will be having a go at beating @ValeYellow46’s record!”  

@26_DaniPedrosa: No offence @Official_CS27 but I want @marcmarquez93 back on the other side of the garage as soon as possible ;) #nocorressolo

@Official_CS27: None taken! Haha! Looking forward to being team mates again though #goodtimes #repsolhonda #nostalgia

@ValeYellow46: @26_DaniPedrosa We ALL know why you want him back on the other side of the garage…

@26_DaniPedrosa: @ValeYellow46 Who wouldn’t want to look across the garage and see this face… pic.twitter.com/7269342

@alexmarquez23 retweeted this

 

Dani felt himself itch as he made his way into the press conference, realising that there was only one seat free and it just so happened to be in the middle, between the two Yamaha boys. One he hadn’t spoken to at all since let the cat out of the bag in this very country about three weeks previous and the only interaction he’d had with the other since their hotel room standoff was of the Twitter variety. And he was expected to sit there between them as if everything was normal and he hadn’t been dreading this moment ever since he had remembered that he would actually see these people again for testing sooner than he would have liked.

So he sat there like an idiot, feeling the eyes of the reporters boring into him as he decided that the table in front of him was particularly interesting today. _Just get this thing started. PLEASE. Because this is nothing short of physically painful._ Dani heard a very Jorge-esque giggle from beside him, internally debating the pros and cons of just glowering to himself or giving the Mallorcan the evils. The former won out and he lifted his head again, narrowing his eyes at his former nemesis sat on his right. _What are you laughing at?_

Surprisingly, Jorge leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “I’m sorry, we didn’t choose the places. But you should probably stop looking like you’d very much like to kill someone… or yourself. They’ll pounce on that. And let’s face it, this one’s all about you.”

As much as it pained him to admit it, Jorge was right. But that didn’t make him anymore comfortable with the situation. _The last time I saw the both of you I almost committed assault._ After what seemed like _years_ of trying to look like he wasn’t in physical pain, the conference finally began and of course the first question was for him. About Marc. _How unexpected._

“How is Marc’s recovery coming along and can you tell us what exactly went wrong after Valencia?”

 _This is something you should be asking the team, not me. Not exactly something you’d ask Lorenzo about Rossi. But then again, there is a major difference._ “Marc’s recovery is on track. There’s not much I can say other than that. This is probably a question you should ask the team or Emilio Alzamora, I may be in a relationship with Marc but I haven’t become his manager.” Everything pretty much followed the same structure; others got questions, of course, but somehow it always seemed to come back to Marc Marquez. _He’s not here, okay? Yes, I miss him but there’s nothing I can do. So now apparently I’m his doctor as well as his manager and fiancé._

Once the questions had finally stopped, Dani removed his microphone clumsily, yearning for a quick escape from conversations that he really didn’t want to have. Unfortunately, he had no such luck, Vale grabbing his elbow before he had a chance to get away. “We should talk.”

For some bizarre reason that award winning psychologists probably wouldn’t even be able to explain, Dani nodded his assent. But the most curious thing was that he actually found himself _wanting_ to talk to the Italian for whatever reason. So he left the room with Valentino, under the watchful eye of a very wary Lorenzo, finding space to talk in a deserted room just down the corridor while Dani’s heart thudded more rapidly with every step that he took. _We finally have to face this, now that most of the anger has cooled._

_Speak._

“How is Marc?” _Good, fairly neutral._

“He’s fine. We’re just about a month away from having him.”

“Has he started to… what do you call it? Waddle! Has he started to waddle yet?”

As much as he wanted to keep a straight face, felt his resolve crumble like a sandcastle. “He’s waddling. When I first noticed him doing it I laughed so much that he locked me out of the bedroom for four hours. Probably would have been less only for he actually had some food in there with him.”

Vale laughed, half at Dani’s words and half in amazement of what was actually happening. _You’re talking to me. You’re laughing and telling me funny stories about Marc._ “Sounds like he’s becoming a handful…”

“Pff, a handful? I’ve never been so cold in my own house in my whole life. He’s so hot the whole time- not _that_ way, stop it- and he never allows me to put the heating on. It’s fucking February and he’s going around the house in shorts and I’m wearing two jumpers. And then, miraculously, when I leave the house he gets cold and I come home to a sauna and him complaining that it’s too hot.”

“Alex mentioned that things were getting a bit intense…” _I hope I haven’t ruined everything._

 _I can tell from the look on your face that you think you’ve ruined everything._ For a moment Dani expected it to feel like it had but strangely that feeling never came. Instead he felt something that he never thought in a million years was possible: relief. Hating someone constantly was exhausting, especially when that person was your best friend. _I needed to hate you though. I don’t regret it, but I don’t want to do it anymore either._ “Yeah, definitely intense. I kind of just want him to come already so I can have the baby _and_ my Marc back…”

“I can imagine. In a couple of weeks you probably won’t be saying that…”

Dani nodded, biting his lip. “I _know_. I’m actually terrified. I’m going to become a father.”

“…You’re only realising this now?”

 _I forgot how hilarious you are._ “Ha ha.”

“Would you like to go to lunch so you can tell me about this _shocking_ new discovery?”

“Lunch…” _I’m not sure I’m there yet…_ “How about coffee?”

_Coffee is fantastic._


	65. Who Knew?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got really emotional writing this chapter for some reason! It wasn't something I planned on doing until very recently but I hope you like it! Kind of to mark the occasion of this being a year old... Thank you all so much for everything! ♥

It was only a matter of time, really; something they should have seen coming. Probably something they should have addressed before the media even found out but hadn’t felt the need to at the time, wanting to keep some parts of their personal life personal. So it really wasn’t the biggest deal ever when Marc’s notifications blew up one afternoon while he was at home with his mother after a seemingly innocent interview with Dani.

**Pedrosa and Marquez Secretly Married?**

**MotoGP Star Pedrosa Spotted Wearing Wedding Band**

He was mentioned in tweets linked to hundreds of different articles, all with more or less the same headlines. And for a moment that _oh fuck_ thought kicked in, like they had been caught out, before Marc came to the conclusion that it really wasn’t a big deal. _No we’re not married… yet._

“So, apparently, Dani and I are married.”

The words, so blunt and cavalier, caused poor Roser to drop the book that she had been engrossed in with a dull thud on the floor, eyes almost popping out of her head. “WHAT?”

Unable to resist a little giggle at his poor phrasing, Marc bit down on his lip with an ‘oops’ expression. “We’re not actually married, Dani was doing an interview and someone got a picture of him wearing his engagement ring which the whole world now assumes is a wedding ring.”

Roser breathed a sigh of relief, moving her hand to rest over her chest. “You would have been in so much trouble Marc Marquez i Alenta-“

 _Calm down…_ “We’re not married! And we have no plans to be secretly married so I don’t think you need to worry. When would I have had time to get married? I’m not really out and about that much…”

“You scared me. I mean, it’s not like you and Dani have a reputation for going slow…”

Marc arched an eyebrow, wanting to challenge that before realising that she was very much right. It made him uneasy for a moment, doubt filling his mind as to whether they maybe moved a bit _too_ fast. Yes, they did reached a lot of milestones quicker than most couples would ever dream of but the one thing that his mother didn’t understand was that _fast_ was the only thing that he and Dani had ever known. It was almost a rule of thumb for any motorcycle rider that _faster_ also meant _better_ , a greater chance of success. And maybe that wouldn’t be such a great principle to apply to a relationship if the other person hadn’t been _Dani_ , but it was and Dani was one of the only things he had ever been completely sure about.

“Do you really think I would get _married_ without telling you? I actually _value_ my life.” His phone vibrated from where he had just set it down for a moment on top of his stomach, feeling a jolt inside at the obvious disruption. _Sorry baby._ Thankfully it was someone that he actually wanted to talk to, not someone trying to get an inside scoop.

“Hey-“

“I’m _so_ sorry. I didn’t even think-“

 _You’re freaking out._ “Dani, stop. It’s fine, I’m not mad.”

“You’re not?”

 _Yes, I am very mad at you for wearing your engagement ring. I’m very mad that the world now knows how serious I am about you._ “Not mad at all. It was bound to happen sooner or later. But I’m a little disappointed that we’re now married and I didn’t even get to enjoy the wedding night…” He giggled to himself, making an ‘eek’ face when he looked over and saw that his mother was looking increasingly uncomfortable.

A familiar chuckled filled his ear but it was far too distant for Marc’s liking. “Don’t worry, you’ll definitely get your wedding night. So what’s the plan? Because I’m pretty sure that Alberto is going to be on to me any second now acting like the sky is falling.”

 _I definitely do not doubt that._ “Confirm it ourselves? Well, obviously not the married part but you know.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. At least then it’s over with.”

His jaw fell slack, look of absolute disbelief on his face. “Wow, how romantic.”

“Sorry, that came out wrong. I just meant that it will stop all the speculation. Of course announcing our engagement is a big deal. How are we going to do it? Do you still have that photo you took of our hands in Crete?”

 _I like the way you think, Pedrosa._ “Yes. On all social media? Or minus Facebook?”

“Hmm, all social media I think. Just to cover all the bases.”

“What should I say?”

“Whatever you want. I’ll leave that up to you…”

marcmarquez93: Muchos rumores hoy… No estamos casdados! Pero, sí, estamos comprometidos / Lots of rumours today… We are not married! But yes, we are engaged! #Dani #anilliosdecompromisos #amor #muycontentos

26_danipedrosa: Repost -Muchos rumores hoy… No estamos casdados! Pero, sí, estamos comprometidos / Lots of rumours today… We are not married! But yes, we are engaged! #Dani #anilliosdecompromisos #amor #muycontentos- #teamo #micielo

 

Having to move about the paddock after that little announcement was a very strange experience. After they had effectively come out on the podium in Valencia, and with all racing finished, there was no need to hang around like that. But now it was a completely different story, bikes still needed to be tested, feedback had to be given… things that seem so strange to go back to after announcing your engagement to your team mate to the whole world.

Most of the team had been completely shocked by the news, having been given no indication by Dani or Marc that their relationship status had changed at all since Valencia. They all seemed to be delighted for the couple, however, which was a major relief. In fact, if Dani had a euro for every time someone asked him when the big day was, he would probably be as rich as Valentino within the space of an hour or two. Livio seemed to be confused as to whether he should be happy that a break up that would make the team unmanageable seemed less likely or wary that the stakes were now much higher. Regardless, he relayed the warmest of congratulations to his rider, making a light hearted joke about how he better be invited to the wedding.

@ValeYellow46: I finally get to congratulate @marcmarquez93 and @26_DaniPedrosa ;) Now about this best man situation… #engagement

@AlexMarquez23: @ValeYellow46 Don’t even think about it… @EPedrosa and I will form an alliance

DM @ValeYellow46: @AlexMarquez23 You will be forming no alliances with Dani’s brother

@EPedrosa: “@AlexMarquez23: @ValeYellow46 Don’t even think about it… @EPedrosa and I will form an alliance” Every man for himself… #congratulationsMarcandDani

 

**Laguna Seca, 2013**

“Dani.”

“Marc… hi.”

They ran into each other in the lobby of the hotel, Dani on his way back from seeing the medic after his shoulder had started to ache again, Marc having just called it a night on his celebrations of his second win on the bounce with his team. Dani examined him carefully, hair almost expertly tossed, eyes wild with blown pupils that seemed to eradicate any traces of brown, cheeks flushed… just dishevelled in general.

“How are you? Your shoulder, is it okay?”

 _This whole thing would be a lot easier if you weren’t actually a nice person._ “Yeah, it’s just a bit of swelling. It’s frustrating though, being fit enough to ride but not fit enough to get results.”

“Fifth place is really not bad if you’re still not a hundred percent. I’d take that.”

 _Yeah, well you didn’t have to._ Dani shrugged, wondering why his eyes kept moving from Marc’s eyes to his lips. _You may be a nice person but you’re still evil._ “You didn’t have that problem though. Congratulations again on the win.”

The younger man smiled, tongue darting out slightly. “It’s not so impressive, not when you and Jorge aren’t completely fit.”

 _Put that tongue away._ “Jorge and I are not your only competitors so I wouldn’t look at it that way.” Reaching over, Dani pressed the call button for the elevator, suddenly feeling the need to get away from the younger man. “You going upstairs?”

“Yeah, going back to my room. Probably going to have another drink or two. You’re welcome to join me if you’d like?” _Is that normal? Asking your team mate back to your room to have drinks with you?_

 _You’re asking me to go to your room and have drinks with you?_ Lost for words for a moment, Dani knew that he probably should have said no. No, he _definitely_ should have said no because this really wasn’t a good idea by any stretch of the imagination, something that was bound to go wrong in some way or other. But, put on the spot, he couldn’t think of a single good excuse so… “Yeah, okay.” _I’m an idiot._

Marc, who had already prepared himself for a negative answer, could only stare at his team mate in shock for at least five seconds, tilting his head slightly to the right. “Okay? Good!” _You said YES._ A little bing sounded and the metal doors opened, both riders having to step aside to let the occupants out before Marc gestured for his team mate to go ahead. _You. Said. Yes._

“You’re four too?”

“What?”

“Fourth floor. Your room?”

 _Makes sense._ Blushing, Marc nodded, hoping it wasn’t completely obvious that his mind had been far away. Dani got the button and the doors closed once again, closing them off from the rest of the world, both suddenly feeling a little claustrophobic despite the fact that they’d shared an elevator many times before.

Suddenly finding himself in a blind panic, Dani grasped the brass railing for support and tried to keep his face as passive and pleasant as possible. _What the fuck am I doing? This is just going to be one awkward disaster._ Marc seemed to look anywhere but at him, eyes trailing along the ceiling and over the control panel and everywhere that decidedly wasn’t Dani until they stopped moving and he risked a glance over at his team mate, giving him a small smile.

“Lead the way.” _Woah. Okay, that was a bad idea. You have a_ really _nice ass. And the way your hips move when you walk… STOP IT._ Not knowing whether to laugh, cry or just run away, Dani followed Marc, closer to his side now so that he wouldn’t be caught checking his rear end out, mentally admonishing himself for everything in his life that had led to this moment. _I’m an idiot._ The younger man stopped outside his door, Dani stopping just in time so that he wouldn’t run into him. After swiping the key card, Marc contemplated letting Dani go first but ultimately decided against it, fearing that it would feel too much like a date… or a booty call.

“So I have Red Bull, Estrella or I think there’s some vodka in the mini bar…”

 _Vodka is probably the worst idea I’ve ever heard._ “Estrella… as long as it’s not the alcohol free one.” God knows he needed it.

Marc cracked a grin, hunching down to take two bottles out of the fridge, thankfully with red labels. “Nope, I managed to get the good stuff. Shh, don’t tell Emilio,” he winked, standing up again, his t-shirt riding up in the process, exposing a patch of skin above his jeans button. After uncapping both, he handed one to Dani before dropping back onto the bed.

For a moment the older rider stood there awkwardly, just wanting to down the whole thing in one go and get out of there, but he decided that he probably looked like a weirdo hovering so he pulled out the chair tucked in beneath the desk and sat down. _This is possibly the weirdest situation I’ve ever been in. And it’s all self-inflicted._

Marc took a gulp of his drink, lips smacking together and cheeks becoming even more flushed and Dani couldn’t stifle the little giggle that escaped him. “How much have you had to drink already?”

“Hmm,” he pursed his lips, “not that much, just a couple of celebratory beers. And a shot- two.”

“Pff, that all?”

Marc swallowed another mouthful, shooting him an evil smile. “Yep, so it should be easy enough for you to catch up.”

 _Stop it._ “I shouldn’t even be drinking, I’m still on painkillers…”

“One or two won’t do you any harm.”

That would have been fine if it was _actually_ one or two. But it wasn’t. They began talking, sipping away as they chatted about the most random of things, bikes, holidays, pets… And without thinking, Marc uncapped two more bottles, Dani accepting the offer with open arms, alcohol living up to its reputation as a social lubricant. It was the first time that they’d sat down and _really_ talked to each other, not as team mates, more like two people who shared a mutual friend. The whole thing felt completely foreign to Dani, not exactly something that he had ever really done with Casey or any of his other team mates, although he’d always had quite a good relationship with the Australian. For some reason that probably couldn’t explained after a couple of drinks, Marc made him feel more comfortable, more at ease with himself, providing a welcome distraction after the disappointing result.

Two turned into three, which would have turned into four only for the fact that Marc wasn’t a raging alcoholic and hadn’t anticipated sharing his supply with anyone. Well, with anyone that he would drink more than three beers with. He sat down on the floor, peering inside the fridge, a little crease forming between his eyes as he tried to come up with a solution. “Vodka and Red Bull?”

Dani, who had since moved to the bed, lay back and groaned. “That is not good for you.”

“Pff, well it’s all I have left so…” he grabbed two glasses from the desk, opening the small bottle of vodka and poured a generous measure into both, filling the rest of the glass up with the energy drink. Both were a little too full and the one in his left hand began to trickle down his wrist as he made his way back over to the bed, handing Dani his before licking the sweet and pungent liquid from his skin. Dani stared, well past caring at this stage, as his team mates tongue darted out and collected the little drops, taking a sip before he sat down so no more would spill.

“I’m not going to able to get up in the morning for my flight…”

“Pff, you’re Dani Pedrosa. You tell _them_ when that flight takes off.”

Dani stilled for a moment, remembering how Marc has publicly expressed his admiration of him in the past. _I was your childhood hero and now we’re here, team mates, drinking beer and vodka together in America after you’ve become the youngest rider to win back to back races in MotoGP._

“I feel old.”

Marc, who was now lying down on the bed about two foot away from him, turned his head to face his team mate, eyebrows practically vanishing into his hairline. “You’re not old, you’re only twenty seven. How do you think Valentino feels? He’s thirty five.”

Chewing on his bottom lip, Dani frowned, contemplating whether or not what he was about to say was a good idea or if it was the alcohol. Probably a mixture of both. “When you were like seven you said you wanted to grow up to be a rider like me.”

Both smiling and blushing at the memory, he nodded. “I was eight. And I did. I _have_.”

“Exactly. You were _eight_ and you wanted to be like me. And now you are. So I must be really old. My friends are all getting married and having families, they’re all around the same age as me. I’m fucking old and I’m alone.”

 _You’re saying that you couldn’t have any woman in the world that you wanted in the blink of an eye._ “You’re not old and you’re not alone. We’re riders, we run on a different timeline than most other people. Our lives are busy…”

“Casey didn’t.”

“Well, yeah… and Casey is not your team mate anymore. I am. So his timeline was obviously different to ours. Do you think because you haven’t found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with yet that it’s not going to happen? That you’re not going to settle down and have kids that you can teach how to ride a motorbike as soon as they’ve started to walk? You have time, Dani. You’re not old,” Marc paused for a moment, letting that all sink in, “So don’t go quitting on me yet, Pedrosa. I still need my hero around to show me the ropes.”

Although completely touched by the younger man’s words, he couldn’t respond to them. Not when he had far too much alcohol in his system to trust himself not to say something stupid that he would regret in the morning. _You’re amazing. They’re right when they say you’ve got everything._ Instead, Dani just gave him a smile, hoping that it said all he couldn’t. “When did this get so deep?”

Marc chuckled. “That’s what happens when you drink too much…”

Once again he said nothing, letting his head fall back onto the duvet but keeping his gaze locked with the younger man’s. They stayed that way, silent, for over a minute until Dani felt something break inside him and he leaned forward, hesitating a couple of centimetres away from Marc’s lips before saying to hell with and closing the distance, taking his team mate completely by surprised as their lips touched. Dani let them linger there for a couple of seconds, inhaling Marc’s alcohol scented breath, giving him the chance to pull away and kick him out. But he didn’t, instead, he pressed back with even more pressure, moving his lips softly against the older man’s.

Shifting closer, Dani reached out and let his palm rest on Marc’s cheek as he kissed him properly this time, tongue darting out to graze the younger man’s lips, seeking entry. He willingly let him in, grabbing a fistful of Dani’s t-shirt.

 _I didn’t say something I might regret but I did something that I will_ definitely _regret. And who the hell cares?_


	66. Out of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeek... Two chapters two days in a row ;) #ohyeah I couldn't not post this because it basically just came out like it used to last summer which is always a good thing. And I'm happy with where things are going so... Here you go. I'll go hide now.

Testing came and went almost too quick, even though Dani wished he could just go home to his fiancé every minute he was away. The frightening revelation when he arrived home from Malaysia being that the next time he went away would be to Qatar and two days after he returned, he and Marc would have their child. And it fucking terrified him. He spent nights awake, listening to the soft sound of Marc’s breathing next to him, just looking up at the ceiling, almost paralysed with fear. Dani would be the first to admit that he had absolutely no idea what he was doing and helpless was not something he liked being. He knew it was a learning curve for every new parent but this bridge seemed so high that he wasn’t sure he would be able to get across without falling.

Usually leaving Marc behind was incredibly hard, and it still was, but Dani found himself a little bit relieved when the time came to depart for the first Grand Prix of the season. He needed a bit of break, a bit of familiarity to balance out the change, time to get his head together so that he could be what Marc and their child desperately needed.

It wasn’t until he was sitting in his first class seat on the plane, ready to take off from Geneva that it all hit him, almost causing his blood to run cold. The gravity of the situation almost knocked the air out of him and he found himself having to lean forward, hands rested on his forehead, to breathe properly.

_This day next week I’m going to be a father._

*

Marc took up residence on the couch for pretty much the whole weekend, missing sessions only by virtue of the fact that he had fallen asleep and that, conveniently, seemed to happen during the Moto2. Although watching racing always made her nervous, Roser remained close by, increasingly wary as the last couple of days began to fall away, watching his every move like a hawk in case there was a problem of any kind.

Marc had almost forgotten how nerve-wracking it was to watch Dani race… _almost._ His heart thudded violently in his chest as he watched his fiancé sit on pole, Lorenzo and Valentino alongside him, Dani the picture of composure as usual as Alberto whispered something in his ear, face unchanging. Alex had come third in his race earlier on, which Marc kind of regretted watching live, getting a bit more animated than was particularly healthy, and although he wanted a podium for his fiancé, he wanted him to be on the top step.

Watching the formation lap as if it was the last lap of the race, he squealed when Dani ran wide, hid when Jorge got a little too close, pulling the blanket that covered him over his head.

“Marc? You know the race hasn’t even started yet? And it’s the first race of the season…”

 _I’m aware._ “Yeah,” he replied, voice muffled by the woollen cover, “But this is Dani’s year, he’s going to win it and he needs to get a good start.” _And I really need him to come back in one piece._

 

*

Alex had been sitting in the Repsol garage, Dani’s guest for the race seeing as he couldn’t have his brother there with him, watching the older man battle for first position with Vale. He couldn’t help but feel like a traitor, cheering for the Honda rider but secretly hoping for a favourable outcome for his boyfriend. Nails bitten, gums chewed, flinching whenever they got that bit too close… More than once he found himself cheering as the Italian made a pass on Dani, cheeks almost turning fluorescent as he was met with some very suspicious and reproachful glances from the Repsol rider’s team.

There was about 6 laps left to go, Dani starting to pull ahead when he became conscious of some kind of ruckus around him. It was Alberto’s voice that he recognised first, all cold and spiteful, asking someone what they were doing there. Alex didn’t take his eyes from the screen until hearing the voice that replied, a lot more familiar than the first.

“Not now, Alberto. Alex…” Emilio bit back and the Moto3 rider instantly turned to look at his team boss, his stomach filling with dread when he saw that he was breathing heavily as if he had been running. “I’ve just been talking to your father, go back to the hotel and get your things now. We’re on a flight out of here as soon as the race finishes. Alberto, do you have a key to Dani’s room?”

“Yes but-“

“No buts. Give it to Alex, he needs to get Dani’s stuff too.”

“Alzamora, you better fucking-“

“Shut up, Puig,” Emilio bit back, completely uncaring that the whole garage, Casey’s side included, had stopped what they were doing and were watching as if something very dramatic was about to happen. He looked at the young rider once again, blue eyes wide and filled with worry. “Alex, I mean it. You need to go now, we need to be on that flight back to Geneva.”

Alex, mouth open but unable to find any words, nodded, getting up instantly to retrieve the key from Dani’s manager, heart thumping all the while as the realisation that this couldn’t mean anything good really set in. And he knew exactly who the panic was about. Emilio clapped him on the shoulder as he was about to leave, “They’re okay. We just need to get Dani back, okay? Your father will tell you everything as soon as you get back to the hotel… ”

Relieved that the situation wasn’t as bad as he had originally thought but feeling very ill at ease nonetheless, he once again nodded, watching briefly as Emilio ran to the front of the garage, taking one quick look down the pitlane before rushing to where Suppo and Nakomoto were sat at the pitwall.

*

_“And the cameras cut to Emilio Alzamora, team boss down at Estrella Galicia in Moto3 and manager of the injured Marc Marquez as he sprints across the pitlane… He seems to be in very serious conversation with both Livio Suppo and Shuhei Nakamoto, the bosses at Repsol Honda. I wonder what on earth that is about…”_

_“Very strange indeed, there seems to be great concern over something. Suppo now leaves his position… You have to wonder if the team has spotted something that they need to go see the nice fellows down at race direction about. There’s certainly no incident that immediately comes to mind…”_

_“But_ Alzamora _…”_

_“I know. Anyway, if we hear anything we will most definitely let you know.”_

*

Dani felt a jolt of triumph as he crossed the finish line, ahead of both Valentino and Dovizioso, his fans in the grandstand now on the feet, waving Spanish flags, celebrating the victory with him… He hit the side of his bike hard enough to hurt but felt no pain, pain seemed impossible with the rush of pure unadulterated adrenaline that was now coursing through his veins. Shouting to himself (no one else was close enough to hear over the roar of the bike), he went around once again, slower this time so that he could celebrate with and acknowledge the fans, those who had powered him over the line.

Vale came up beside him and the clapped hands, both congratulating each other on the well fought battle. Dani both wanted to draw out the process and speed it up at the same time, wanting to revel in the moment but also wanting to be up on the podium, knowing that Marc was watching, celebrating his last win before he would take on another equally terrifying role. He was the last of the three to arrive in parc ferme, seeing the delighted expressions of the team but also seeing two people he really wasn’t expecting, exchanging cautious glances with the two members of his team that were there to greet him and help him with the bike.

_Livio and… Emilio._

He came to a halt, taking a moment to take a deep breath before getting off the bike, still excited but unable to hide his wariness. His two mechanics clapped him on the back, giving him their congratulations on a perfect ride before securing the bike once he had gotten off. Usually he waited a little while before removing his helmet but this time it was off straight away as he made his way over to the boss and Marc’s manager, both wearing equally anxious expressions. “Congratulations.”

“What’s wrong?” Saying the words aloud only served to make his stomach drop further, twisting as he watched the two men’s reactions carefully.

Emilio leaned in, resting his hand on the middle of Dani’s back. “We have to get back to Geneva, Marc is in the hospital. He’s fine but they want to deliver to avoid any complications.”

Suddenly feeling completely crushed, the Repsol rider covered his mouth with his hand, all the excitement draining from him completely until all he was left with was dread. _Fuck._ “I’m going to miss it-“

“No, they doctors are willing to wait until you get there to deliver as long as you get there as soon as humanly possible. So that means we need to be on a flight out of here within the hour.”

“You haven’t got time for the podium or interviews but I’ve told those who need telling that you there’s a family emergency and you need to get home,” Livio informed him, “So go with Emilio and good luck. But don’t forget we’ll be wanting pictures of the baby,” he finished with a smile, squeezing his rider’s shoulder reassuringly .

Dani nodded, managing a smile himself, and thanked his boss for understanding, handing him his helmet before telling Emilio that he was ready to go. _We’re having the baby… now._ It still hadn’t sunk in properly, leaving him feeling as if he was in a far off dream and he would open his eyes in two seconds and none of this would be happening. Cringing at the fact that there were millions watching him, Emilio got the stewards to open the barrier and Dani followed closely behind, only stopping when a hand wound around his wrist.

“Is everything okay?” Vale wondered, concern written all over his face.

 _I’m really not sure._ “Marc. It’s… time. They’re trying to wait until I get back so I have to leave now.”

The older rider let out a loud whoosh. “Wow. Okay, I will call Alex later… Good luck! I still can’t believe you’re going to be a papa.”

 _That makes two of us._ “Neither can I. Don’t go back to Italy, come to Geneva. I think you’ll want to see him…” _Fuck, my child is actually going to be a him… I’m actually going to meet him._

Vale cracked a smile, feeling touched by the fact that Dani wanted him to be there. “I’ll get the next flight out. Dani?”

“Yeah?”

“Everything’s going to be fine, enjoy it.” The two embraced before Dani practically sprinted over to where Emilio was waiting, bike already fired up, and climbed on the back, only putting his helmet back on when they were already in motion.

*

_“And Livio Suppo and Emiio Alzamora are waiting for our race winner in parc ferme… Tell you what, there’s something definitely going on here. The look on Dani’s face says it all. He doesn’t take time to celebrate.”_

_“I really hope that it isn’t something serious…”_

_“And he’s leaving, Dani Pedrosa, winner of this GP, is leaving parc ferme with Emilio Alzamora, manager of his boyfriend- or should I said fiancé- Marc Marquez who won the championship last year and is out at the moment with a menace of an injury. It’s got to be something to do with him, hasn’t it?”_

_“I have no clue. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see if there’s any explanation given.”_

*

@26_DaniPedrosa: Very sorry to all the fans for having to leave before the podium for personal reasons. Thank you for all your support and I will see you in Austin!

*

“Is he there?”

There was no reply on the other end of the line, just bustling as the phone was passed over. “Dani?”

Crouched down by the gate, waiting the last couple of minutes before they started boarding the flight, Dani sighed, relief running through him at the sound of his fiancé’s voice. “Hey, babe. I’m on my way home okay? I’m just about to get on my flight and I’ll be there before you know it. Is everything okay?”

He heard the little insecure whine that Marc made and it broke his heart into a million pieces. “I’m scared, Dani. I don’t want to do this without you. I don’t want to meet him if you’re not here.”

 _I’m going to be there if I have to fly the plane myself._ “I’ll be there, don’t worry. I know you’re scared but you have your mother there. My parents and Eric are on the way too and they’re all going to look after you until I get there. And then we can meet him together, okay?” _Don’t cry._

“O-okay. Just please make it here.”

“I will, I’ll be there. We’ll be there. And Emilio’s here too and do you think between the two of us we won’t be able to threaten whoever needs threatening so I can make it there on time?” _At least that made you laugh._ “Just try to relax, get some sleep and I’ll be there before you know it.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

_Don’t cry._


	67. Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh, I'm so anxious about this one! I've been working on it for days now and I think this is as good as it's going to get... I hope you like, feel free to tell me what you think! And I'm just going to go hide again and cry because I can't believe I've finally gotten here :/ They grow up so quickly ;)
> 
> Just to reiterate... this is in no way real and I by no means (believe it or not!) claim that this has, will or ever would happen.

Marc’s eyes fluttered open, leaving him confused as to where he was for a moment but once he saw Basi sitting by his side in the dim light of the hospital room, he remembered all too quickly. Desperation washing over him once again, his hands immediately went to his stomach to make sure everything was still where it should be. “Is he here?”

She leaned in and brushed his hair of his forehead in an attempt to soothe him. “No darling, he’s not. But his flight is supposed to land in about two hours so if you go back to sleep he’ll be here before you know it.”

 _I want Dani._ “Hmm, promise?”

“I promise,” Basi smiled softly, in a way that made him instantly believe her, “Get some rest, this is probably the last good night’s sleep you’re going to get for a while.”

 

*

Time passed excruciatingly slow for Dani who was cooped up in a plane when he felt as if he would have the energy to run to Geneva. Everything was so familiar that it made him angry, this was not a familiar situation. This was not just a run of the mill flight. _“Would you like anything?” “YES. FOR THIS PLANE TO HURRY UP.”_ It made him antsy, although antsy was probably a bit of an understatement when he had to wait almost seven hours to make it to the hospital, knowing that the baby could have already been delivered by the time he got there, knowing already that the child would take after Marc more than him.

_Four hours… Just four more hours and I’ll be back in Geneva._

Alex had managed to fall asleep in the seat next to him, making him incredibly envious of the younger man. What he wouldn’t have given to be able to just close his eyes and not wake up until they were landed on the runway in Geneva. Sleep was physically impossible though, his mind was so switched on, almost counting the seconds of its own accord, that it seemed highly likely that he wouldn’t be able to sleep for another twenty four hours. By then it wouldn’t matter though, sleep wouldn’t matter once his baby was in his arms, all delicate and new and pure… Half him, half Marc. And he couldn’t wait, aching to meet him with every fibre of his being. _I love you so much already; how is it possible to love someone that you’ve never even met like this?_

“Dani?”

His head snapped up and Dani looked around, searching for the owner of the voice. Julia was standing in the aisle, a plastic cup in his hand. “I thought you might be thirsty…” he winked, passing the amber liquid to his future son-in-law.

 _Thank you Julia…_ Giving him a small smile, Dani downed the whiskey in one go, grimacing as it burned his throat but enjoying the sensation all the same. “You were right,” he rubbed his eyes wearily, “Four hours.”

“Three and three quarters. Glass half full, no?”

“To be honest, I’ll take anything I can get at this point. Bet you never had this experience when Marc was born…”

“No, nothing like this. With Marc everything pretty much went according to plan. He was early but in the end that didn’t make much of a difference.”

 _I would never have guessed._ “And were you this terrified?”

Julia chuckled at that, leaning closer into the seat momentarily when a hostess needed to get past. “Terrified is probably understating it a little. I know it may seem like there’s no way you’re going to be able to take care of that baby but you learn as you go along, It may be hard to believe but it’s the truth. You’re going to be fine, Dani. I’m not just saying that to make you feel better. It’ll come, don’t worry. You and Marc… you’re going to be great, I have absolutely no doubts.”

 _I’m really not so sure._ “I hope you’re right…” he swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump that had formed in his throat, “Is this plane ever going to land?” Dani wondered, teeth gritted as he looked at his watch and was instantly disappointed despite knowing what it would say.

“Would you like another drink?”

“Please.”

 

*

Time after the plane landed seemed to pass in a blur, getting off, making their way to baggage reclaim, waiting for their luggage… Dani seemed to exist in a semi-conscious state, too consumed by his own thoughts to even contemplate talking to anyone. There had been several messages on his phone when he turned it back on, a couple from Roser and his mother and one from Marc, all pretty much saying the same thing; Marc was okay, the baby had not yet left the comfort that was his home for the past nine months. And that was a massive relief, making it so much easier for Dani to breathe that it was incredible.

But the fear was ever present, niggling away at him until he felt like he would be sick but in the best of ways. It was mixed with excitement; the thought that he would be finally able to meet his baby was almost too good to be true.

Alex grabbed his bag before it had a chance to go around a second time, which he could easily have kissed his future brother-in-law for but refrained from doing so. Dani’s, as luck would have it, was the last and the four men made a dash for customs, flying through the nothing to declare channel. By the time they reached the arrival’s hall, the Repsol rider was kicking himself for deciding to take a cab instead of driving to the airport himself as the four of them ended up having to take two taxis to the hospital due to the fact that there would be no room for four cases in the boot of just one. It didn’t worry Dani for long though, Alex going with him ahead of Julia and Emilio without question from anyone and they climbed into the back, Dani barking orders at the driver before the door was even closed.

The roads were quiet at six o’clock in the morning, mercifully, and they made their way through Geneva swiftly, with a little help from the driver and the accelerator once Dani had explained that he was on the way to witness the birth of his first child after flying all the way back from Qatar. The man seemed only too happy to help, delighting in the occasion and passing on his congratulations to the Repsol rider, evidently with no inclination of who he actually was. They arrived in very good time, Dani throwing a fifty at the man without waiting to hear the charge or for his change.

“I’ve got this,” Alex assured him with a knowing smile when the older man made his way to the rear of the car to get his bag, “Go!”

And so he did, not stopping until he reached the floor that was very familiar at this stage and sought out the nurses’ station. “Marc Mar-“

“Dani!”

He stopped midsentence at the very familiar voice, turning away from the nurse to see his mother rush up to him, enveloping him in a bone crushing hug. “You made it. Thank god.”

“Is he okay?”

Basilia smiled softly, brushing her thumbs over her eldest son’s flushed cheeks. “He’s fine, sleeping at the moment. We’ve been with him all night. He’s woken up a couple of times looking for you but he always goes back to sleep. I’ve told him he’ll need to stock up before the baby arrives.”

 _I’d happily stay awake for the next three days if it’s the price to pay for getting here in time._ “What’s happening with the surgery? What did the doctor say?”

“They’re looking at nine o’clock for the surgery and, since you’re here now, I think they’re going to go with that. They’re probably wake him at around eight for preparation.”

Dani let out a whoosh, hands resting above his knees in an attempt to steady himself. “I’m going to be a father before ten o’clock. How did that happen?”

Basi smirked. “Well, you and Marc-“

 _AGH. NO._ “Wow, funny…” he cut her off before things got _very_ awkward, giving her the best bitchface he could muster up.

“You know I’m only joking,” she chuckled softly, cradling him in her arms just like she did when he was a baby, Dani’s head coming to rest on hers, “I can’t really believe it myself. Seems like just yesterday that you were a baby and now you’re having one of your own. He’s going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to you. You’ll never feel anything more powerful than when you look at that tiny little thing in your arms and know that you and Marc created that together.”

 _I may be terrified beyond belief but I cannot wait for nine o’clock._ Dani could really only begin to imagine. He already loved the child that Marc was carrying, there was absolutely no doubt about that, but the thought that that love would probably be multiplied a million times over seemed completely impossible to him. “I want to meet him so badly.”

“You will, soon. You should go see Marc in case he wakes up again, I’ll speak to the nurse and tell her that we can go with the plan. He’s in the room down at the end of the corridor…” Basi smiled, placing a kiss on her son’s cheek, “number 26.”

 

Roser was the only one in the room with Marc, a small lamp in the corner the only source of light. She looked so relieved to see her son’s fiancé, immediately getting up to embrace him, leaving Dani as surprised as ever at the same feeling of comfort he got from his own mother. After telling him that she was so happy that he made it, Roser cast a look at her sleeping son, her smile almost sad, before exiting the room, Dani grateful for the chance to be alone with his fiancé.

He felt as if he was having an out of body experience, like everything had slowed so much now that things seemed to be falling in to place and the Repsol rider took the seat that his future mother in law had previously occupied, moving it a couple of inches closer to the bed while trying desperately to make as little noise as possible, knowing his mother was right and Marc could do with all the sleep he could get. It was just incredible to think that the swell of his stomach beneath the blanket would soon disappear, a child created by them and them alone taking its place. And Dani knew one thing for sure, he would love that tiny new born baby from the moment it took its first breath in the world until the day he died, do anything he physically could to keep it safe.

The minutes seemed to go by quickly, especially in comparison to the flight, and Dani found himself drifting off to sleep, the missed hours during their travels really catching up with him until he couldn’t help but close his eyes, the lack of comfort in the chair not making an ounce of difference as peace washed over him, mostly because of the beautiful man lying right in front of him in bed and the knowledge that somehow everything would be okay in the end.

The sensation of a warm hand on his woke him, his eyes groggily opening to see that Marc was awake and smiling at him, more delight than fear although that also featured, his dark eyes shiny with moisture. “Dani.”

 _I could cry right now._ “Hi,” he smiled back, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on the younger man’s lips, “I told you I would be here.”

“The baby is still inside me?” Marc wondered, obviously still drowsy from whatever medication the doctors had been pumping into him, looking down to see if his bump was still there not for the first time that night, a small crease forming between his eyes.

“Don’t worry, they haven’t taken him out without your knowledge. In fact…” _Fuck_ “The nurse will probably be here to wake you soon, it’s 7:50 now and they said they would start preparation at around 8…”

Marc’s eyes screwed shut, his grip tightening on his fiancé’s hand. “They’re going to do it at nine, aren’t they?”

 _I really get why you’re scared._ Moving so that he was now perching on the edge of the bed, Dani took both of the younger man’s hands in his, his gaze intense enough to cause Marc to look away for a moment, even in the dim light of the room. “Yeah they are, I know it’s scary but this is just like getting surgery on a collar bone, an everyday procedure. And it’s going to be over before you know it and we’re going to have our baby and it’s going to be so worth it. I’m going to be there by your side in the operating room, I’ll take care of you, okay?”

That seemed to reassure him, if only a little bit, and after spending a couple more moments in peace together, Dani went in search of everyone else to see if there was anyone who wanted to see Marc for a couple of minutes before it became impossible. Once they had finished, the gang went for breakfast in a nearby restaurant just to pass the hour before the surgery, Roser promising her son that she would be back by no later than nine so that they wouldn’t miss anything.

While Marc was being prepped and anaesthetised, Dani took a couple of minutes to himself, using the bathroom and grabbing a pastry from the café so he wouldn’t pass out in the middle of surgery. There was still a chance that that could happen but at least he was doing all he could to limit his chances. His expectations of time dragging on were definitely disproved, finding himself in the operating room, Marc laid out on the table while the nurses erected a curtain that covered from a couple of inches above his bump down so that he couldn’t see what was going on. A number of things were explained, the sensations he should expect to feel, the minute tilt in the table, reminding him of what would happen once the baby was delivered…

It all went over Dani’s head. All he could think was Marc, Marc, Marc, focusing every ounce of his energy on making sure that his fiancé was okay. It almost passed in a blur, the first incision made, Marc’s grip tightening on his hand, the look of discomfort on his face as the surgeon moved around inside his abdomen, talking him through the process, assuring him that everything was fine…

Until they heard it, a shrill cry filled the operating room and Dani’s legs almost went from beneath him when the reality of the situation sunk in. _That’s my child. That’s_ our _child._ The expression of shock on Marc’s face mirrored his own, the two of them just staring at each other like they couldn’t quite believe what had just happened, emotions, too numerous to separate or number, engulfed them until tears trickled freely down their cheeks, almost without their knowledge. Chuckling, almost out of disbelief, Dani took the younger man’s hand, the other with a heart monitor in the way, in both of his, squeezing firmly as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Marc’s clammy forehead, hair just beginning to stick slightly. _I love you. I love you_ so _much._

Once the chord was cut, the baby was whisked away, Dani feeling a pang of disappointment at only being able to catch the briefest of glimpses, doctors and nurses swarming around it, all with different bits and pieces of equipment in their hands.

“Is there something wrong?” Marc murmured, almost as if he was afraid to hear the answer to that question.

“Everything’s fine…” _I have no clue if that’s the truth but let’s go with that until we know for sure. They did say this would happen, didn’t they?_ Craning his neck to try to get a better view, anxiety quickly knotting his stomach, Dani tried to breathe evenly but failed miserably. Because he couldn’t be _calm_ right now. Not when his child was surrounded by doctors, the only indication of life the whimpering that came from across the room. After what seemed like a lifetime, and two near lapses in consciousness later for Dani, the fateful words escaped the surgeon’s lips… “Perfectly healthy.”

And if there was tears before, they were definitely flowing freely now as Marc sobbed in relief, Dani not too far behind him as they clung to each other, neither really capable of forming words, hoping that the other would just _know_ … The surgeon returned to his position behind the curtain, the nurses taking a couple more minutes before one walked carefully over towards them, the baby cradled gently in her arms as it cried for a moment before the noise faded and she placed the child on Marc’s chest, the tiny head positioned just below his collar bone, legs curled up just like they had been for the past nine months, the tiniest of knees pressing gently into his skin.

“Marc, Dani; you have a beautiful, healthy, baby girl.”

Taking one look at her little scrunched up face, Marc knew that he would never be the same again, and he welcomed that, just so overwhelmed by the rush of love he felt for the little girl that he had just given birth to, an angel surely, too perfect and pure to be anything less. _My daughter. My little girl._ Hearing Dani’s soft sobs from beside him and feeling his presence but seeing nothing but the baby lying, now fading off to sleep again, on his chest, Marc extended his finger slowly, as if the slightest touch would cause her to break, and brushed the pad over her, still moist and sticky but perfect and plump nonetheless.

It was only once his finger had made contact with her skin that he looked up at his fiancé once again, Dani’s eyes now glistening and the look on his face enough to make the younger man want to cry even more. “Our baby girl.”

_And you’re more perfect than I could have ever imagined._


	68. Bienvenida al mundo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeek! Thank you so much for all the lovely response to the last chapter! ♥ I'm so grateful! Now comes the fun part... I had chosen her name pretty much after the first couple of chapters and she had always been that in my mind, I don't know why. I hope you like it... because I'm not sure if you will or not... I was tempted to change it after the last chapter but I just couldn't because it didn't feel right so I'm just going to trust my instincts... and I'm going to hide again!

“You don’t have to stay here with me… take her out to meet the rest of the family, I can handle this by myself.” Actually delivering the baby was the shorter part of the procedure, almost half an hour needed to stitch everything back up again. The baby remained on Marc’s chest, her impossibly small hand now loosely closed around Dani’s index finger as he just marvelled at the wonder of her, only taking his eyes away from the little girl to look at his fiancé.

“No, we’re going to stay here with you. They can wait to meet her when you go to the recovery room. She needs to spend some time with you.”

Marc hummed his approval at that, tracing his fingers gently over the tiny covering of dark brown hair on head, knowing that with his and Dani’s genes they were never going to have a blonde. He longed for her to open her eyes, despite knowing it would take a while, just so he could see if they were his or Dani’s or even a mixture of both, perfect no matter what. “She’s so beautiful.”

 _She’s the best thing I’ve ever done, bar none._ “She is. She’s just…”

“Perfect?”

“Yeah. I think our mothers are going to be delighted, there’s too many men in their lives already. Now they have a little princess that they can dress up.”

“Pff, _I_ have a little princess that I can dress up.” Her little mouth opened as she gave a yawn, Marc melting completely at the tiny ‘o’ shape that it made. _She’s mine. I can’t believe she’s mine._

“Does she have a name?” one of the nurses asked, draping a white blanket over her back to shield her from the cold of the operating room but also accommodate the skin to skin contact needed with Marc. “Or are we sticking with baby Marquez-Pedrosa for now?”

Marc blushed, looking quite embarrassed and Dani couldn’t help but chuckle, obviously now seeing the error of his ways as far as predicting the sex of the baby was concerned. ‘ _It’s_ my _baby and I_ know _that it’s going to be a boy’. How wrong you were…_ “I take it she’s not going to be a Cesc…”

Sticking his tongue briefly out at Dani, Marc turned his gaze back to his daughter once again, unable to look away for too long, smile never faltering for a minute. “No, she’s not.”

 

Soon the time came for Dani to take her away, the nurse picking her up from on top of Marc and gently depositing her in his awkwardly positioned arms, showing him how to support her head by adjusting them accordingly. She was certainly a lot heavier than he expected, at a little over six pounds, her size very misleading. For a moment, Dani felt as if he was floundering, like he was an idiot who didn’t even know how to hold a baby right but once she was properly adjusted, it was almost as if his arms were made only to hold her. Marc watched the interaction, Dani smiling in a way that he had never done before, leaning forward to press the softest of kisses on her forehead, lips lingering for a moment as he took in the new baby smell.

“I wish I could be there when they meet her…”

 _I wish you could too._ “We can wait until you’re ready?”

 _No, you can’t._ The younger man smiled sadly, shaking his head to himself. “No, they should meet her. Gives me more time with her when I get out of recovery. Take care of her though, I don’t want to wake up and find out you’ve dropped her…”

 _Even when you’ve just been closed up after major surgery you’re making jokes._ “I’m not going to drop her. Come on baby, it’s time to go meet your grandparents. And you’re godfather, Alex. He’s going to take you away from me and I’ll never get you back,” Dani cooed to the child in his arms, grinning when her hands began to flail slightly.

“Her godfathers.”

“What?”

“Well, neither of us has a sister and she doesn’t have a godmother… So I was thinking that Alex _and_ Eric could be godfathers seeing as we’re not exactly ‘traditional’ anyway…”

Dani’s grin widened even further, if that were even possible, and he looked down at his daughter again. “I take that back, you’re going to meet your godfathers, plural. Now I’m _definitely_ never going to get you back. Especially if tus abuelas get their hands on you. But don’t worry, as soon as eleven o’clock comes I’m going to take you back off them so you can spend more time with your papa, because he really deserves to have the monopoly on you after all you’ve put him through…”

With that, he said his temporary farewells to his fiancé, unable to do anything but blow a kiss at Marc because of the baby in his arms, now slumbering once again, before leaving the operating room, hoping that a) he really wouldn’t drop her and, b) he could remember the way to the family waiting room. Thankfully he didn’t really have to worry about either of those, a nurse escorting him to where he needed to go which eased his nerves greatly. His heart began to flutter as she announced that they had reached their destination, going ahead of him to open the door since his hands were full. _This is going to be intense._

Thanking her profusely for everything, Dani stepped inside the room, grinning with both pride and adoration as his presence was quickly notice, their family (and Emilio but he surely counted anyway) staring almost in shock as he walked towards them with the child in his arms. Roser’s hands immediately went to her mouth, Julia gripping her shoulders with a smile of his own when they laid eyes on the little girl. His parents were very much the same, Alex and Eric pretty much just amazed by the whole thing.

“Mom, dad, Julia, Roser… I think it’s time you meet your granddaughter, Pilar.”

“A girl!” Roser beamed, springing up from her seat almost in time with Basilia to gather around the newborn, both immediately transfixed by her, “She’s so beautiful!”

“Bienvenida, Pilar! I can’t believe it’s a girl! Marc was so sure…”

To be perfectly honest, Dani could. His fiancé had pretty much set himself up for a fall from the beginning. “Yeah, he’s a bit embarrassed about that. But happy of course, seeing him with her… It was just so special. She’s more perfect than I could have ever imagined.”

“She’s so small! What weight is she?”

“Six three. The doctor said that she’s just big enough to not need an incubator. Her lungs are fully developed since they’d already given Marc the steroids a couple of weeks back. That’s all that matters, right? That she’s healthy.” Even though he wanted to never let her go, Dani knew that they were all dying to get a hold of her and so he told the two grandmothers that they could decide amongst themselves who got to go first, not wanting to put any noses out of joint. His mother seemed more than happy to let Roser go first, seeing as it was her son who had given birth to her, Dani very much grateful that it didn’t end in a fight. He passed Pilar along to Roser, Julia soon by her side, and she cooed at the little baby, tears now wetting her lashes.

Deciding to leave them have their moment with their first grandchild and confident that of all people they would not drop her, Dani made his way over to where Alex, Emilio and Eric were standing together, embracing them all in that order, each passing on their sincerest congratulations.

“How is Marc?”

“Fine. He did _so_ well, hopefully he’ll get some rest for the next hour because I think the pain is going to start kicking in but he’s probably counting the minutes before he gets to see her again. Gives you all a chance to have a hold of her though, I don’t think he’s going to want to let her go later.” _Oh yeah, that reminds me…_ “Speaking of which… Alex, I hope you don’t mind too much but Marc and I were talking and we decided that since Pilar doesn’t have a godmother that she should have two godfathers…”

Eric grinned, obviously understanding straight away, completely honoured to be given the role, even if he had to share it. “You better not be talking about Vale…”

Alex shared a blush with his manager, amused despite being slightly mortified for no reason in particular and Dani chuckled. _The funny thing is you have no idea…_ “I’m not, don’t worry.” The two brothers embraced, Eric thanking his brother again and again, saying that he was going to spoil her (big surprise there) and make sure that she didn’t start dating until she was at least twenty five.

“Emilio… Sorry but I’m all out of positions but maybe you could be an honorary uncle?”

He laughed at that, holding his hands up. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a big enough job as it is with Marc and Alex. I don’t know if I should be saying this but maybe if you had another one…? Although if you make me share with Puig I am going to resign.”

Dani was almost tempted to do it for the ultimate comic value that would inevitably ensue but decided against it, deciding he would never be able to put a child of his through that. _And I don’t doubt you’d do it either._

 

He stepped out of the room for a moment, leaving everyone to have their turn, hoping all the while that Marc wouldn’t kill him for leaving her unattended, and made the couple of calls that he needed to make. Alberto, who was genuinely happy for the two of them, saying that he would visit once they were at home again; Livio, who was absolutely delighted and requested photos immediately, more concerned about Marc’s welfare than Dani’s manager had been, and then Vale, who he said he’d try just in case he wasn’t in the air.

“I take it you have news…” The Italian greeted him immediately, excitement evident in his voice.

 _Hello to you too…_ “I do. It’s a girl…” _And I still can’t stop smiling like an idiot._

“ _I knew it!!_ Rule of the universe! Congratulations, I bet she’s beautiful!”

“She so’s beautiful. I can’t believe she’s ours.  We’ve called her Pilar, Pilar Pedrosa Marquez.”

“Pilar… I like it! I can’t wait to see her, is it still okay if I come visit? I’m about to buy a ticket to Geneva from Bologna…”

 _Yeah, like you’re going to stay away…_ “Of course. You’re probably going to end up being a godfather by extension anyway…”  _If things keep going the way they're going._

“He must be so happy.”

 _I can hear the smile in your voice._ “Yeah, he is.”

 

The general consensus was that Pilar had Dani’s nose but Marc’s mouth, bets almost being taken as to whose eyes she would have when she eventually decided to open them. She was passed around from person to person, some holding onto her a little longer than others (no names mentioned) until she found her way back to Dani again, conveniently when she started to wail, _kindly_  showing them that there was nothing wrong with her lungs. After a moment of panic on the Repsol rider’s part, he actually managed to soothe her, gently rocking her until her cries turned into whimpers and eventually dissipated completely when she went back to snoozing in his arms. _I can’t believe that actually worked. Maybe Julia was right after all..._

Dani’s cheeks were practically aching at that stage from smiling, not a minute going by when he wasn’t amazed by the perfection of the little being that he and Marc had created together. The most rewarding moment since her birth wasn’t meeting the rest of the family, however, it was the moment that the nurse informed him that Marc was ready for visitors and Dani brought their daughter to finally meet her father properly.


	69. #PilarPedrosaMarquez

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't my favourite but oh well :/ But qué carrera! Repsol Honda 1-2s are the best! ♥

“Hi…”

“Hi,” when Dani entered the room Marc was propped carefully up against a number of pillows, looking alert but paler than he had done over an hour previous. His eyes lingered on Dani for a moment lowering instinctively to the baby in his arms. “How are you feeling?”

The younger man gave a little shrug, soft enough not to hurt. “Okay. Nothing I can’t handle. Just excited to see my little princess.”

Dani took the hint, moving right to the edge of the bed, one of the nurses showing Marc how to keep his arms to avoid doing any damage to himself before giving Dani the green light to gently place her into his arms, feeling the loss of contact deeply the minute Pilar had left him but more than happy to watch his fiancé interact with their daughter. _I’ve never seen you smile like that before._

“Hello, little girl… You really are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life. And I suppose your daddy and I can take a _little_ bit of credit for that,” Marc looked up and winked at Dani before his gaze returned to Pilar once again, “She’s got your nose.”

“She’s got your mouth.”

“I know, poor girl. Let’s hope she has your laugh…”   

_That’s not even a little bit true._ “She’s lucky to have your mouth, it’s much nicer than mine. And I wouldn’t mind her having your laugh either.” _What I didn’t say is that it’s my favourite sound in the whole world._

Marc arched an eyebrow at his fiancé. “Really? You’re telling me that having to listen to two of us laughing like that wouldn’t get on your nerves?”

_I don’t think I could think of anything more adorable._ “Yes, because I just happen to love the Marquez laugh. Although if Alex and your father were also in the house it might be a bit much…”

As if to illustrate Dani’s point, the younger man let out a little giggle and instantly winced, pain jolting through him. “You’re not supposed to make me laugh, remember? Has everyone gone home?”

_Yeah, they were all here for the baby. No one cares about you._ Dani frowned, wondering for a moment if Marc was actually serious or just high on pain medication. “They’re all still here. I think they’ll have to be hunted out of the hospital. They all want to see you but wanted to give us a little while together with Pilar first.”

His mouth formed an ‘o’ shape and he nodded, looking back at the baby again. “What did they think of her?”

“They all adore her but, of course, the moment he started crying she was handed back to me. It was Eric that had her though so I’m really not surprised…”

“Was he happy to be a godfather?”

“Ecstatic. I think he and Alex will enjoy being partners in crime. Hopefully Vale won’t get jealous…” Dani giggled and quickly received a ‘don’t go there’ look from the younger man.

Pilar began to whimper again, little arms and legs flailing, and Marc began to rock her gently, moving as little as possible so he wouldn’t injure himself any further. “Shh, it’s okay darling. Don’t cry… Has she been fed yet?”

“Yeah, she was hungry a while ago so the nurse showed me how to feed her. Apparently she’s got a really good appetite for a new born. I wonder who she got that from…”

Looking up again, Marc stuck out his tongue at his fiancé. Dani, not one to let an opportunity pass him by, leaned forward and pressed his lips against the younger man’s, only lingering for a moment but long enough to make him feel warm all over. _I wish I could get more of those._  “Maybe I’ll forgive you then… I think she might be hungry again? How did you know before?”

“She kept opening and closing her mouth. Like a goldfish.” _It was the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen in my life._

“Dani Pedrosa! Did you just call our daughter a goldfish?”

“Not _a_ goldfish, _like_ a goldfish. Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it. Actually, there’s something I think we should talk about while we’re still alone…”

“Hmm?”

_We never really talked about it…_ “Are we going to make a statement? About her?”

_Oh._ Frowning, Marc looked from Dani to Pilar and back again, lips pressed into a firm line as he mulled it over in his head, contemplating the pros and cons. “Well, we can’t exactly hide her, not that I would want to anyway. So it’s kind of a choice between letting everyone find out themselves and just announcing it…” The latter felt weird to him, which he put down to the fact that he wanted to protect his little girl from everything and anything, fearing the world knowing would negatively impact on her in some way whether those fears were logical or not. 

“Let’s think about this… Okay, there might be a lot of interest in her but wouldn’t making one post be better than having lots of different rumours going around? At least then we can control it. I’m not saying we have to go into great detail, or post a picture of her, just something simple.”

Looking at his daughter once again, in all her tiny perfection, Marc made up his mind. The pride that he felt whenever he looked at her was something he wanted to share with the world, the determination to put their relationship and family on equal footing with any straight couple’s suddenly overwhelming him. “Let’s do it.”

_What?_ “Huh?”

“Let’s do it, let’s post something.”

“Are you sure? We can’t exactly take it back…” _And I’m not sure if you’re thinking clearly right now._

“I’m sure. She’s going to be around the paddock sometimes, it’s not like we can keep her hidden forever. So you’re right; it’s probably best to just say we have a daughter.”

They decided it was best for Dani to take her and Marc would take the picture, going for something simple, just a shot of Pilar’s hand curled around her father’s little finger- both appreciating the symbolism- nothing more than necessary in the photo.

26_DaniPedrosa: Bienvenida al mundo, Pilar Pedrosa Marquez! Un momento muy especial para nosotros / Welcome to the world, Pilar! A very special moment for us #hija #sihermosa #teamo

ValeYellow46: @26_DaniPedrosa No photos! I want to wait until I get there!

lorenzo99: Congratulations @26_DaniPedrosa and @marcmarquez93! Can’t wait to meet her #PilarPedrosaMarquez

Box_Repsol: Massive congratulations to our two riders @26_DaniPedrosa and @marcmarquez93 on the birth of their daughter Pilar! #afutureworldchampion #repost

rickycardus88: I’m so happy for you @26_DaniPedrosa and @marcmarquez93!

marcmarquez93: “26_DaniPedrosa: Bienvenida al mundo, Pilar Pedrosa Marquez! Un momento muy especial para nosotros / Welcome to the world, Pilar! A very special moment for us #hija #sihermosa #teamo” Sin palabras #perfecta #micorazón

Official_CS27: Congratulations to Marc and Dani! Nothing compares to the birth of a child, enjoy it! #PilarPedrosaMarquez

*****

Vale: I’m here, come down and meet me?

Grinning at the screen of his phone, past caring at this stage, Alex got up from where he had been sitting at the foot of Marc’s hospital bed. “Vale’s here,” he explained, seeing the look of confusion on his brother’s face, “I’m going to go meet him. Is it okay if he comes to see her?”

“Sure. I might even let him hold her,” Marc chuckled, pressing his lips against the soft skin of Pilar’s forehead once again out of habit.

Alex: I’ll be there in a minute :)

And, really, he should have been expecting it but the sight of Valentino Rossi in the lobby of a Swiss hospital, a multitude of pink balloons grasped tightly in his hand with variations of ‘It’s A Girl!’ (or rather ‘C’est une fille!’) on them, made him roll his eyes and shake his head. “Wow…”

“Be quiet, this is what you do when your friends have a baby, no?”

Alex didn’t answer that. Instead, he threw caution to the wind and wrapped his arms around the older man, not caring enough at that moment to attempt to keep up with the charade, confident there was no one around that would really care that much anyway. Vale squeezed him tighter, pressing his lips against his boyfriend’s neck discretely. “Congratulations.”

_I honestly feel like I’m flying._ “Thank you. She’s so _so_ beautiful, Vale. I can’t even believe that something could be so perfect.”

_I can._ “Dani and Marc must be so delighted.”

Alex nodded, finally releasing the Italian but kept hold of his hand for a moment. “I’ve never seen either of them smile like that before.”

“Dani I would believe but _Marc_? He is always smiling.”

“He just had a _daughter,_ that’s got to top the smile scale. Why don’t you come see for yourself?”

And so he did, although the elevator ride up was a bit awkward with the mass of balloons but they just about managed to get in without leaving any of them behind. Then they just happened to run into the grandparents and Eric along the way, Alex’s cheeks burning scarlet when he realised that it was the first time Vale and his parents had come face to face since they’d found out about (and not been too impressed, but reluctantly accepted it) their relationship. _Kill me now._

“Valentino,” Julia greeted him with more of a smile than his wife did, shaking his hand.

“Congratulations, you must be so happy.”

“We are...”

The younger rider swallowed hard, not exactly the place to have this excruciatingly awkward encounter especially with the Pedrosas who were blissfully ignorant of the whole thing. “Okay, well I’m going to take Vale to see Marc and Pilar, I’ll catch up with you in a while…” He gave a brief tug of Valentino’s hand, burning white hot when he caught Eric’s curious gaze, and led him in the direction of Marc’s room. _UGH._

“Well that was a bit awkward…”

“Don’t. Happy thoughts. Pilar. Baby.”

 

“Wow… that’s a lot of balloons…” Marc tried his absolute hardest not to laugh as the Italian struggled to fit the pink balloons through the door frame, Alex having to beat them in from behind.  For Dani, who didn’t have to look after twenty stitches, that was not a problem.

“Congratulations! Officially parents!” the Italian beamed, passing the bunch of balloons over to the small Repsol rider who almost disappeared behind them, before making his way over to the bed to see the little angel. And Alex had not been wrong, she was possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen; so small and delicate and doll-like, with her _tiny_ hands and fingers that she held up as she slept in her father’s arms, twitching every now and again. “She’s gorgeous.”

“I know.” _And there’s the smile that Alex had also been talking about._ “Pilar, this is your other honorary uncle, Valentino,” he cooed, brushing his finger over her cheek, “Do you want to hold her?” Of course he said yes, Dani having to come and lift her out of Marc’s arms and place her in his best friends, not without pausing to give her a kiss first.

The movement caused her to wake, whimpering as her eyes opened for only the third time since her birth, showing off her beautiful brown eyes which they had immediately determined were a carbon copy of Marc’s. Dani comforted her for a minute before laying her gently into Vale’s arms, smile immediately lighting up the Italian’s face. It was quite an emotional moment, standing there swaying with his best friend’s and his fiancé’s baby cradled against his chest, knowing that Marc and Dani had just been blessed with the greatest gift they could have been given. Marc and Dani who were so much younger than him but were still so complete, a little Repsol Honda family.

 “Ciao, bella.” And then he looked up from the little girl to Alex who was watching him with the biggest smile ever on his face, sending a shiver down his spine as he dared to wonder whether he’d ever have that with him… The two of them and a child. It was a scary thought, of course, but not completely unappealing.  _But you're so young and I'm closer to forty than thirty..._ _  
_

After getting the okay from Dani and Marc, Vale got the former to take a picture for him to post, calling Alex over to feature in it as well despite the raised eyebrows from the other couple. Craning his neck, the Italian pressed his lips against Pilar’s tiny temple, Alex doing the same on the other side, angle carefully selected so that she wasn’t completely on view. _An adorable couple photo for those who know, completely innocent for those who don’t…_

ValeYellow46: Finally get to meet this little angel! And I may not get to be godfather but I am more than happy to share @AlexMarquez23 ;) #PilarPedrosaMarquez


	70. Comparisons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very ashamed of how this chapter turned out... It just kind of... happened. :/ I'm going to go hang my head in shame now.

Despite Marc’s insistence that Dani go home for the night to get some proper sleep, he knew that he was needed at the hospital to help out with the baby since Marc was still bed bound and unable to lift her. Besides, Marc was the one who really needed sleep after his body had practically been taken apart and put back together again.

After the sixth attempt to get him to leave, the younger man finally gave in and Dani went to bid the family farewell, taking Pilar with him seeing as she had become a little restless. It still felt incredibly weird, walking around the hospital with his daughter all wrapped up and pressed against his chest, people stopping every so often to have a look and remark on how adorable she was. Not that he needed to be told, Dani was now officially a very proud papa, one hundred percent sure that there never had been or never would be a baby as beautiful as his Pilar.

“I take it you’re not coming with us,” Roser smiled, pressing a kiss on her granddaughter’s head to say goodbye.

“I’m not going anywhere, isn’t that right baby? Your papa is going to look after you tonight so your daddy can get some sleep,” he grinned, kissing Pilar’s nose before looking back to his family, “Someone can use mine and Marc’s room so you should just about be able to fit everyone in.”

_Now that you mention it…_ Cheeks turning a very deep shade of pink, Alex bit his lip, looking very like a child who was about to admit to breaking his mother’s favourite vase. “Actually, someone can have my room. I’m going to go stay at Valentino’s hotel…”

Dani tried to keep a straight face, looking to his daughter once again as Roser let out an exasperated sigh and Julia coughed, reaction more similar to Dani’s than his wife’s. If Eric had been uncertain before, his suspicions were more or less confirmed, Basilia and Antonio quickly catching on, the former arching an eyebrow at Roser that was answered with a look that said ‘tell me about it’.

“Well, I have to head back to Barcelona so tell Marc that I’ll be in touch.” _Thank you, Emilio._

*****

“He actually said that he was going to stay with Valentino? In front of everyone, he actually said that?”

“He actually said it.”

Dani just arched an eyebrow, feeling extremely worried as his fiancé made some kind of noise between a screech and an elephant mating call, bent over in bed with a pillow covering his wound. _What the actual fuck?_ “Are you alright?”

“I can’t laugh! Do you know how hard it is to not laugh? _Extremely hard._ He does realise that he basically just told everyone, right?”

“Well from the blush I’d say so. Eric says you and Alex have a type.”

“A type? MotoGP riders?”

“Older men.”

Looking completely unashamed, Marc grinned. “Ah. Yeah, I guess we do. But I would have said champions, that sounds much better. I bet my mother was absolutely _thrilled._ ”

“Yeah, well I think as long as we’re not welcoming another member to the family nine months from now all will be okay.”

*****

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” Vale grinned, eyes moving from the road ahead of him to his boyfriend in the passenger seat once again.

_You’re enjoying this far too much. Especially for someone who has to face these people again tomorrow. But then again, you’re Valentino Rossi, you have no shame._ “Like everyone now knows that we’re fucking.”

“We’re more than fucking.”

Giving an exasperated roll of his eyes, Alex elbowed the older man. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes I do. And it’s not exactly everyone, it’s Dani’s family. They probably would have found out sooner or later anyway-“

“Pull over.”

_WHAT?! Fuck._ “Alex, I’m sorry-“

“ _Pull over._ ”

_In the middle of nowhere??_ Vale didn’t question it, fearing it would only upset the younger man even more, checking his mirrors before veering off to the side of the road and parking up in front of a seemingly unused gate to a field. “Look, I shouldn’t have said th-“

Alex’s lips landed on his, stealing the words away as he reached over and undid the Italian’s seat belt, all forceful and demanding. Sensing he knew what was happening but surprised nonetheless, Vale fumbled clumisly for the seat lever as his tongue slipped inside the younger man’s mouth, pushing the seat back as far as it would go. Alex hummed his approval, climbing across the centre console to straddle him, the difference in height now working very much to his advantage.

Vale grasped the back of his boyfriend’s t shirt with all the force he could muster as Alex ground down on his crotch, moaning into his mouth. _Fuck. Where did this come from?_ His cock strained against his jeans, his arousal almost _painful_. Alex, well in tune with the Italian at this stage, shifted back for a moment so that his fingers could access the zipper, pulling Vale’s cock free with impressive dexterity.

_Jesus, we’re at the side of the road._

“Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“Are we really going to do this _here_?”

Grinning wickedly, he bit down hard on the older man’s bottom lip, enough to draw blood which he slowly lapped up. “You’re not afraid of getting caught, are you?”

_You aren’t?_ “There are people ar- _fuck_.”

Alex’s hand started to work his cock _expertly_ , capturing the moans that fell from Valentino’s lips with his mouth, grinning as their tongues moved lazy together, hips bucking in time with the movement of his wrist. _I don’t see you complaining now. You’re surely not going to tell me to stop again._ Reaching his free hand down to fondle his balls, Alex felt a jolt of pleasure run through him as Vale’s hands moved from his back to his hair, almost ripping handfuls out.

“ _Alex._ ”

“ _Vale_ ,” he mimicked, enjoying the look on his boyfriend’s face as he increased the tempo, blue eyes rolling back into his head as his breath hitched, Alex pushing him closer and closer to the edge without any remorse.

_I fucking love you, you know that right?_ Alex’s grip tightened around him, hand now moving furiously, the slight pain from lack of lubrication only adding to the pleasure. “ _Close..._ ” _Too late._ He forgot where he was, white hot pleasure flooding his veins as he bucked his hips into the younger man’s grasp, coming all over his hand with a string of expletives, pulse racing, eyes open and twisted.

While Vale was left breath heavily, having pretty much dissolved into the seat, the Moto3 rider examined his hand, making a show of taking the thick, hot liquid on to his tongue. Before he could swallow it, the Italian moved forward, pulling him in for a kiss, tongue sneaking past Alex’s lips to share the taste of himself, the younger man surprised but completely turned on at the same time.

“What?” Vale pulled away, half way between amused and annoyed as they younger man let out a bit of a giggle. _We just did_ that _and you’re_ laughing _?_

Biting down on his lip, Alex shook his head to himself. “My brother is at the hospital having wholesome family time with his baby girl and his fiancé and we’re in a parked car at the side of the road, sharing a side of come.”

Vale rolled his eyes, leaning in to kiss his boyfriend again. “How can you go from being a master of seduction one minute to a blushing mess the next?”

“Don’t even try to pretend that you don’t love that about me.”

He wanted to say that he loved everything about him but instead the Italian just kissed him again, hoping that said enough.

*****

Marc fell asleep after nine, Pilar not far behind him, whimpering when Dani put her down in her crib but settling again quickly enough. That left Dani by himself, happy enough to lie down on the make shift bed that the hospital had provided him with, yawning violently the minute his head touched the pillow. Save for the hour or so that he had gotten early that morning, he’d been up for almost thirty six hours and that was really starting to catch up with him. Before too long, he too drifted off into a dreamless sleep, far too tired for that.

That was until he was woken by a cry at god knows what hour of the morning, eyes opening with a start at the noise. It took him a moment to figure out what it actually was, the sound still so foreign to him. _Right. That’s our daughter._ Throwing the light cover off himself, he got up, eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dim light of the room before making his way over to Pilar’s crib. She was wide awake, big brown eyes open and sad looking as she wailed. “Shhh,” he cooed as he carefully lifted her up into his arms, “Please try not to wake your papa, he needs all the sleep he can get.”

Her cries started to fade as he bounced her softly, eventually stopping altogether but she still showed no sign of going back to sleep. _Ah, you’re goldfishing._ “Are you hungry? My little goldfish. It’s a good thing I got some bottles ready for you before I went to sleep, isn’t it?” Grabbing a bottle, he sat down once again and uncapped it before pressing the teat against her lips which she willingly latched onto. “You’ve got the Marquez appetite, haven’t you? Yes you have. You know, I still can’t believe you’re ours. All along you were just an idea and now you’re here and I can’t get my head around the fact that I have a daughter.”

A daughter whose life they would shape with the way they raised her. A daughter who would turn into a teenager and then into a woman. A daughter he would love with every inch of his being for the rest of his days.

Dani cried, as he sat there feeding his little girl he cried, too overwhelmed by all the different emotions to be sure of what exactly he was crying over. “I’m sorry, ‘Lara. I’m _really_ happy you’re here, I promise. Everyone is so happy you’re here finally. Even Alberto and, well, he never really liked you. But I think he does now. You’re going to have so many people who adore you, not as much as your papa and I do but still.

“I need you to do something for me, okay? I need you to look after your papa for me when I’m away. I know he’ll have your abuelas with him but it’s not the same, you have to make him happy because I can’t. I’m going to miss the both of you so much even though I’m trying not to think about it too soon, there’s still a little while left before I have to go away.

“Your papa would have won the championship again this year but he had you instead so I have to win it for the both of you. I _am_ going to win it for the both of you. Then you’ll be able to say that you have two daddies that are world champions. Maybe you’ll be one too one day? Don’t tell him I told you this but he was sure you were going to be a boy. Yeah, he got that one wrong, didn’t he? But that’s okay, because you’re perfect. We have a little girl, the most beautiful little girl in the world.”

Pilar kept sucking away, her eyes alternating between open and closed until she eventually drifted off to sleep again, bottle still in her mouth. Dani chuckled, taking it out and wiping her mouth with a dribbler before putting her back down into her crib again.

_Who cares about injuries? I am the luckiest guy in the whole world._


	71. Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one definitely wasn't an easy one :/ It's another one of those in between moments so please forgive me.

“Morning.”

“Morning,” Dani greeted his future brother in law in an equally hushed tone, the baby very much awake but Marc still sleeping peacefully in bed with no sign of waking any time soon. The nurse had been by to check on the baby and said that they should let him sleep for another hour but wake him after that. He would leave that task up to her, however, too full of guilt to do it himself.

“Hello my little princess! How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?” Alex cooed, handed the baby by Dani, accepting her only too gladly.

“She woke twice because she was hungry, other than that she slept through. Which also means I slept which is good for all.”

The younger rider sat down in one of the chairs at the foot of the bed, Pilar cradled in his arms so that she was looking right up with him, still marvelling at the fact that it was like looking at Marc, brown eyes so dark that they were almost black. “You didn’t keep your papa up then? Let’s hope it’s the same when they get you home… Vale’s downstairs if you want him to bring you home for a while? I can mind her until Marc wakes up.”

Taking out his phone, Dani shook his head. “I’ll text him and tell him to go. I’ll wait until he wakes up, don’t want him to think I abandoned him.”

_You two are actually the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life._ “If you want.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you-

“I know, don’t worry. It’s okay, I wouldn’t want to leave them either,” Alex smiled at Pilar who had just grabbed on to his finger, still finding it so hard to believe that she was his niece. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what that felt like for Marc and Dani.

It turned out that the other Repsol rider woke of his own accord when Pilar started to wail, Alex promising that he didn’t pinch her with a chuckle. Obviously not used to having her around yet, Marc seemed a bit startled by the sound, much like his fiancé had been the previous night, the memories quickly coming back to him and causing him to smile- albeit groggily- at the baby squirming in his brother’s arms.

“Can I have her?”

Alex only too willingly handed her over, fearing that she would wiggle out of his arms or something equally catastrophic. She began to stop the moment her father put his hands on her, giving her a kiss on her forehead. “Shh, it’s okay. Your daddy is going to take care of you. My little Pilar… Dani, is she hungry?”

“She had a third of a bottle over an hour ago so she might want some more. Is she goldfishing?”

“She’s crying.”

He uncapped a bottle and handed it to Marc, Pilar only too happy to take it, beginning to guzzle the moment it passed her lips. “Wow, you really weren’t kidding when you said she eats like me…”

Arching an eyebrow, Dani chuckled. “She eats like _pregnant_ you. Imagine what it’s going to be like when she starts eating solids…”

*****

Dani eventually went home, Marc almost having him forcibly removed from the hospital, Julia coming to collect him and drop him back at the house before heading back to the hospital with Roser and the Pedrosas. And suddenly everyone was gone, he was all alone in the house, too far away from his fiancé and their daughter. It was only then that he had realised that besides the twenty minutes he’d taken to eat something in the evening, he hadn’t spent more than ten minutes away from his little girl, her absence something he felt very deeply now that he was gone. It felt wrong, like he should be able to go pick her up from her crib or watch Marc look at her like she was the only thing in the world besides Dani... But he would have to wait for a while. 

He boiled the kettle. Then sat there just staring at the wall for so long that he had to boil it again, wondering why everyone had thought it was such a good idea for him to go home and be by himself when his whole life was in that hospital room. His plans for coffee were abandoned, deciding that his time could be better spent in the shower. It continued like that, ‘I might as well do this’, ‘I should probably do that’, until he ended up sitting on his bed- their bed- wondering if it was time to get back to the hospital yet, the whole situation making him feel incredibly disorientated and just generally ill at ease.

His phone started to ring, taking him a moment to actually figure out what it was before openly welcoming the distraction. Even if it was Alberto. “Hello?”

“Dani. How are you?”

“Okay I guess. I just got home from the hospital and I have no idea what to do with myself.”

“How are they?”

_Am I imagining things or are you actually_ finally _coming around to all of this._ “Great. Marc’s obviously sore but other than that they’re both doing fantastically.”

“That’s good. I won’t keep you for long, I just need to know what you want to do with all the gifts.”

Frowning, Dani lay back on the bed. “Gifts?”

“For the baby, mainly from sponsors but there’s some other ones in there too. I’ve received quite a few already...”

_People are sending us gifts for Pilar??_ “What kind of gifts?”

“Pff, I don’t know. I suppose the usual stuff people give parents who have just had a baby. So what do you want me to do with it? I can send it on to Geneva if you want and you can have a look?”

“Okay, yeah send them down. You might want to wait a couple of days though, I can’t say for sure if there will be anyone here to take a delivery until Marc gets home from the hospital.”

“I’ll do that. Okay, I’ll leave you to it. Tell Marc I was asking for him. And give Pilar a kiss from me.”

Dani’s eyes almost bugged out of his head, sure he was having a weakness. _Asking? For_ Marc _? Am I hearing things?_ “Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks Alberto.” _I never thought I would see the day._

*****

The next couple of days passed without incident. Dani pretty much moved into the hospital, deciding the whole spending time at home alone was not for him. Pilar was getting more alert by the hour, now able to smile at them with her little gummy mouth, melting everyone in a two kilometre radius in the process.

Eventually, the time came for them to go home, both Marc and the baby given a clean bill of health and told that they would be discharged the next morning. It was both exciting and completely terrifying at the same time, wanting to be at home with their daughter and properly start their life together and wanting the safety net of the nurses and doctors who knew exactly what they were doing at the same time.

Saturday morning came and Dani found himself having a fight with the car seat outside the hospital in the rain, cursing the tiny clasps with all his might as he rushed to get it ready for Pilar while Alex and Roser escorted Marc and their daughter downstairs. Eventually, a female doctor leaving took pity on him and showed him exactly how to do it and Dani could have kissed her, but it really wasn’t the time or the place so instead he settled for a very heartfelt and relieved ‘thank you’.

The families stayed around for another hour or two, just until the new parents got settled into the house, knowing very well that this was all completely foreign to them. Someone had obviously had the foresight to put a crib downstairs in the sitting room so that Pilar could sleep and they could keep an eye on her. Eventually, the time came for them to say goodbye; all going back to Barcelona to give the new parents a while to enjoy their new baby by themselves, Roser and Basilia coming back in over a week’s time to stay with Marc while Dani went to America.

When they were gone it just felt like all the rush had stopped, Marc and Dani sitting on the couch much like any time before. Except this time their daughter was fast asleep in her (thankfully cream) crib just a couple of feet away from them.

“So now it begins…” Marc broke the silence, gingerly adjusting his position so that he could curl into his fiancé’s side, missing the proximity they used to have before Pilar was born.

Dani arched an eyebrow, smile still firmly in place. “What begins?”

“Parenting. We have a daughter, Dani. A _daughter_. I’m twenty one and I have a daughter. And before you say anything, I don’t mean that in a bad way- you know I love her more than anything- it’s just going to take a while to get used to.”

_I know exactly what you mean._ “It’s okay, we have eighteen years to get used to it…”

Humming in reply, the younger man rested his head on Dani’s shoulder, taking a moment to inhale deeply in an attempt to make everything seem… real. “Do you think Alex and Vale will come visit us?”

“Pff, I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up at our front door tomorrow afternoon. They say they’re gone to Tavullia but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were still at the Moevenpick.”

_Which reminds me…_ “That picture they put up…”

“What about it?”

“Don’t you think that people are going to start… putting two and two together? If they’re seen travelling to Italy together when everyone will probably assume that Alex should be here with us?”

To be perfectly honest, Dani wasn’t really sure they cared anymore which was both inspiring and a terrible idea at the same time. From what he had seen of them since coming back from Qatar, they had become very nonchalant about the whole thing; almost as if they were in an ‘if it happens, it happens’ mind set and it worried him that maybe they weren’t thinking about it as carefully as they should have been. “Honestly? I don’t know. What would you say if he called you in the morning and told you they wanted to go public?”

“I’d tell him it was a big fucking mistake.”

“Right and then he’d point right at us.”

“That’s different.”

“It is, but elaborate.”

“We were having Pilar. I won’t say we were in love because I’m pretty sure they are too. And, okay, we have an age gap too but it’s not a sixteen year gap. And it’s _Valentino Rossi_. Neither of us are Valentino Rossi. The Italians are either going to love Alex or despise him- more importantly the Italian _media_. I just don’t want him to have to deal with all that when he’s still so young and in Moto3.”

_I agree with all of the above._ Pressing a kiss against Marc’s forehead, Dani scooted closer, tightening his grip on the younger man. “Don’t worry about it too much for now. I doubt they’re going to actively take a step towards going public any time soon. And I’m sure Emilio will have a couple of things to say about it if they do. And your parents… Everything is going to be fine, don’t worry.” _As long as they don’t do something rash…_ They fell into comfortable silence after that, Dani tilting his head to look at Marc a couple of minutes later, about to ask if he wanted something to eat only to find that he was asleep, looking more like an angel than man, fists loosely balled up in Dani’s shirt.

_Like father like daughter._


	72. Delivery For Pedrosa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while :/ With going away and everything it's been hard to get back into the swing of things. And I'm finding this a bit difficult at the moment so excuse me if it's not up to standard. But thank you so much for all your comments and kudos (367 different people have read this story, I still can't believe that), it means the world to me!

Woken from a very deep sleep by Pilar’s cries, Dani kept his eyes shut for a moment, sighing before making to throw the covers off him so he could venture across the room to see what was wrong with her.

“Don’t, it’s okay, I’ll get her,” Marc insisted, the older man having to reach out and physically hold him down to stop him from doing so.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. I’ll just get her and bring her over here.” And he did, her cries softening the moment he picked her up as they always did, making sure she wasn’t just wet before grabbing a bottle and bringing her back over to where they had been sleeping. Marc turned on the lamp, despite Dani’s protests that he should go back to sleep, snuggling into his fiancé’s side as he began to feed their daughter.

“I’m worried that I won’t be able to get her to calm down when you go to Austin…”

 _Austin. The word we’ve been thus far successful in avoiding since the two of you came home from the hospital._ “What do you mean? You’re fantastic with her.”

Watching his little girl with an intense expression, Marc pursed his lips, giving a little shrug. “She responds better to you than she does to me. You only have to touch her and she stops crying.”

“That’s not true. You gave birth to her, you already had a head start on that front. And I’ve seen you get her to stop crying just as easily as I do.”

“I’m just worried I’ll end up calling you in tears because I won’t be able to make her stop crying or I did something wrong and hurt her-“

“That’s not going to happen, okay? You’re perfect with her. And even if you have some off days, our mothers are going to be there with you and they’ve done this four times collectively so they’ll be more than able to help. Don’t stress yourself out too much, I’ll be gone and back before you know it.”

 _Yeah, but for how long?_ Not feeling the need to reply verbally, Marc just merely nodded, leaning his head on Dani’s shoulder, face inches away from Pilar who was now guzzling her feed like she would never get another bottle again. He just relished the moment, the three of them together with still enough time until Dani’s departure that there was no need to start freaking out completely. Pilar soon dozed off again, the older man catching the surplus milk that spewed from her mouth before it made a mess, giving the bottle to Marc to put on the nightstand as he made to get up and put her back in her crib.

“Wait. I think I want to cuddle her for a bit. You go back to sleep, I’ll put her back in a couple of minutes.” 

*****

The buzzer for the gate sounded while Marc was making some coffee in the kitchen, groaning when he realised that he had to waddle all the way over to the front door to so see who it was. _Better be good…_

“Hello?” he pressed the button, hoping the person calling hadn’t already gone, wondering who exactly it could be.

“Hello, I a delivery here for a Mr Dani Pedrosa?”

Even more confused, Marc peered out the window and sure enough there was a rather large UPS van just outside the gate. _Dani never said he ordered anything…_ “Oh! Okay, I can send him down to collect it.”

“Actually, it’s a rather large delivery… Would it be possible to back the van into the driveway? We can do the unloading then.”

 _I don’t really see an alternative. What the fuck did he order?_ “Okay, one minute, I’ll open the gate.” Pressing the button to grant them entry, Marc opened the door, leaving it a bit ajar before going to sit on the stairs for a moment while they moved the van. The guy he had been speaking to hopped out again, another man accompanying him and they opened the side of the vehicle, each taking a rather large looking brown box out. “You can just put them anywhere. Thank you very much. Do I have to sign for them now?”

“In a minute, there’s still more.”

 _MORE. What the actual fuck?_ Lost for words, the MotoGP rider watched as they returned to the van, this time producing two more boxes, even bigger than the first two. _Dani, this better be good._ He was about to make sure that was it when the two workers returned to the van once again, this time coming back with _two_ boxes each. _This is getting out of hand._

“DANI!”

It took a minute, and a few more boxes but thankfully they were smaller this time, room in the hall quickly diminishing, before Dani appeared at the top of the stairs looking concerned, Pilar in his arms. “What’s wrong?”

“What the fuck is this?” he wondered with a mixture of incredulity and annoyance, gesturing wildly to the stack of boxes that they had been inundated with.

“I haven’t a clue! I didn’t order anything!”

 _I have to do everything myself._ “Who is the delivery from?”

One of the men checked their device, Marc waiting impatiently as he made a series of clicks with the stylus. “One Mr Alberto Puig.”

 _He’s just_ trying _to make our lives a misery._ “Do you hear that, Dani? They’re from Alberto. Why is Alberto shipping half of Spain to our house?”

Remembering their conversation over the phone at the hospital a couple of days back, everything started to make a lot more sense. Making an ‘eek’ face, Marc’s expression enough to make him just a little bit afraid, Dani came down the last couple of steps. “Look baby,” he cooed, hoping it would cause his fiancé to melt as he always did when Dani played with their child, “Your uncle Alberto has sent you lots and lots of nice presents. Tell your daddy not to be too mad at me…”

The two delivery men made another deposit, far too amused by the situation for the younger rider’s liking. “Pilar, your father is an idiota,” Marc huffed, folding his arms across his chest.

“That’s the lot. Sign here…”

Marc took the little screen, shooting his fiancé a dirty look, and scribbled his name with the pen. “Sorry for the inconvenience…”

“But the look of things we should be apologising to you… Have a nice day.”

 _In other words: don’t murder him._ “You too…” he shut the door, waiting a moment before turning around, Dani looking very sheepish altogether, handing the baby to him in the hope that it would make him less irate.

“Here have your daughter, look how cute she looks!”

Marc took Pilar anyway, his hands full but more than capable of using his words. “What the fuck, Dani? Why do we have a hall full of boxes?”

“They’re gifts from sponsors, or would be sponsors- whatever- for Pilar. Alberto asked if I wanted him to send them down… I didn’t think there would be _that_ much, I promise.” Huffing, not much he could do about the situation now, Marc handed Pilar back to her father, waddling in the direction of the kitchen. “Where are you going?”

“To get a knife.” Grining evilly at the genuinely terrified look on the other man’s face, he rolled his eyes. _As if I would actually stab you._ “To open the boxes.”

 

There was _a lot_ of orange, it was practically the only colour that could be seen when they opened the first box, Alberto either kind enough to sort them in to different boxes or there was just a lot of sleep suits. Most of them were Repsol themed, some Dani branding and some Marc. There were a couple what were designed to look like leathers, complete with sponsors and even Pedrosa on the bottom, just as Dani had on his, which the younger rider was particularly fond of.

“I’m so putting her in that at Jerez. You’re going to support your Papa, aren’t you? Yes you are,” Marc grinned, tickling her as she lay awake in her bouncer, watching them with her big brown eyes.

“So you two are coming to Jerez?”

“Yeah, we talked about that didn’t we? Before she was born? She should be old enough to make the trip by then, I’ll be on my way to full recovery and it’s close enough…”

“I remember, I just didn’t know if you’d changed your mind since she was born.”

 _I definitely haven’t changed my mind about that one._ Frowning, Marc turned his gaze back to Dani, chewing on his lip. “No, nothing will keep me away from Jerez. I miss being in the paddock and Pilar is going to have to experience her first MotoGP race sooner or later… the timing is practically perfect. Even if we only get there for Sunday it will be nice to be there for the race. Provided you ride safely,” he smiled, reaching out to thread their fingers together, Dani giving him a reassuring squeeze.

 _I would love nothing more than for the two of you to be in the garage with me._ “I promised I’ll be good. Wouldn’t want to give my fiancé a heart attack, especially when he’s holding our daughter.”

“Pff! You say that as if I would drop her!”

“I’m not saying you would drop her… I am say keep her away from Emilio Alzamora though,” he chuckled, Marc looking for a moment as if he would protest to that before giving a little ‘you’re right’ shrug.

Some of the stuff they were given was amazing, like a stroller that looked like the front of the Repsol bike from the front, and some of the stuff was very thoughtful, like soothers in various MotoGP related designs, but neither Marc nor Dani felt entirely comfortable with giving them to Pilar, both paranoid that they could come apart and cause her to choke. So instead they decided to use them as decorations in her nursery, figuring they would go well with the cream colour they planned to paint it before Dani left for America, Marc cringing every time he looked inside and was reminded of the hours he, Dani, Vale and Alex had spent painting it blue on his whim. They nursery situation needed to be addressed as early as possible, while Pilar was still staying in their room as time was needed for the fumes from the paint (even if it was baby friendly without the usual chemicals) to subside before she moved in there.

Marcmarquez93: Pilar is very grateful for everyone who sent her gifts! Unfortunately she cannot wear everything so anything that she doesn’t, Dani and I are going to donate to children less fortunate than her. Thank you all for your kindness!  

 

 


	73. Everything Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait, I was stuck on this chapter until today :/ Also sorry about the amount of dialogue. Here's hoping Dani will be fine!

“You’ll look after him for me, won’t you?” Dani asked, heart almost breaking as he got his mother alone in the kitchen, kettle boiling for coffee before their departure, while everyone else was congregated in the living area, all completely under Pilar’s spell.

Smiling sadly, Basilia gave her eldest a big kiss on the cheek, unable to think of a time that she’d seen him as upset and just… unlike himself. “You know I will. We’ll take care of the both of them, you don’t have to worry.”

_Not worry? That’s likely…_ “I don’t think I can do it,” Dani admitted, needing to be completely honest and knowing that his mother wouldn’t judge him for it. Tears began to sting his eyes, causing him to cover his face with his hands for a moment, shaking his head to himself. “How can I just leave them? Pilar’s not even two weeks old, I need to be with my family.”

“Dani…” trying not to get too emotional herself, a very difficult feat, Basilia wrapped her arms around her son, his grip on her tightening as if he was holding on for dear life.

“I could just ring Alberto and get him to tell Honda that I have a family emergency, that I can’t leave Geneva.”

_I know you don’t even believe what you’re saying._ “Marc and Pilar are going to be fine, I promise you. It’s _you_ we need to worry about. You have to sort your head out before you even think about getting on that bike or else it’s not going to end well. I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it is for you to go but by going out there and racing and maybe even winning, you’re going to make Marc so proud. He just wants you to succeed; so you need to do your best, make it worth it. Roser and I will take care of your fiancé and your baby for you.”

Unable to say anything to that, the fear of leaving colliding with the desperate yearning to be a champion that both Marc and Pilar could be proud of leaving him a confused mess, Dani merely nodded, squeezing his mother extra tight for a moment before returning wordlessly to his family, hoping that she knew how thankful he was.

*****

“I’m so sorry.”

Marc tried his best to smile, standing on the doorstep wrapped around his fiancé as they said their goodbyes, Eric, Julia, Alex and Antonio already waiting in the car, wanting to give the couple some space to say a proper goodbye. Pilar lay asleep in her travel carrier, Marc keeping her there so that Dani could say goodbye to her and he would have free arms to hug Dani as hard as his wound would allow.

“Don’t be sorry, you don’t _ever_ have to be sorry, okay? We both knew that this would happen when we decided to keep her, and I don’t regret that for a moment.”

_You’re so amazing._ “I just wish I could take you both with me.”

Trying his very best to be strong, knowing that he still had Pilar and therefore it was a lot harder for Dani to leave than for him to be left behind, Marc put on a strong front, waiting until his fiancé was gone to fall apart. But until then… “You can in a couple of weeks.”

_A couple of weeks is not soon enough._ “I better get going…” He didn’t need a watch to tell that they would be late for check in if he stayed longer, feeling a pang at the look of disappointment on Marc’s face.

“Yeah, you better,” Marc’s words were barely audible as he wrapped his around his fiancé’s neck, taking a moment to stare deep into those mocha coloured eyes before leaning in and pressing their lips together, the feeling of discomfort in the pit of his stomach only worsening when he remembered it would be their last kiss for a while, goodbyes so much harder than they were before the baby was born. Dani held him close, relishing the heat from Marc’s body radiating against his, and rested his forehead against the younger man’s, never wanting the moment to end.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. Say goodbye to your daughter…” the younger rider pulled away, allowing Dani room to crouch down and remove Pilar from her carrier, wanting to cry when he saw the little toothless smile she gave when he picked her up, still tiny but getting bigger and bigger by the day. The thought he would miss a week of that growth was frightening, like he wouldn’t recognise his own daughter when he got back.

“Hey darling. Daddy has to go away for a little while so you’re going to stay here with your Papa and your abuelas. I’ll be back soon and then we’re going to have lots of cuddles, okay?” Trying his very best to keep the tears from spilling from his eyes, Dani pressed a tender kiss against her forehead, taking a moment to try and memorise every inch of her face before handing her to Marc. The younger man wiped his eyes on his sleeves before receiving her, failing in his promise to himself that he wouldn’t cry. “I’ll see you Monday?”

Giving a little nod, lip bitten in an attempt to keep from falling apart completely, Marc wrapped one arm around Dani for the briefest of moments, placing one last kiss on his cheek.

“Take care of him for me, ‘Lara.”

And then he was gone, making his way over to the already four fifths full car, stopping for a moment to cast a glance back at those he was leaving behind, his whole life there in that doorstep. It almost made him stop, seeing the tears that trickled down Marc’s face as he tried to be strong for Dani’s sake alone, but he knew he couldn’t. Instead, though it was probably the hardest thing he’d ever done, he climbed into the car, shutting the door behind him.

“Dani…”

He couldn’t stand it, Eric looking at him like he had done so many times before when he had been injured, when he had been happy to wallow in self-pity. “Don’t. Just… don’t.”

*****

The journey to Austin all in all was relatively quiet. Dani didn’t say much to anyone, trying his best to sleep in an attempt to lessen the dull ache. The others were great, treating him as they always did, which he appreciated more than he could ever say. They eventually arrived in the Texas after a stopover in someplace that he hadn’t taken much notice of, and by half ten they were all checked into the hotel. After that it was pretty much dinner and then off to bed, the constant pang he’d been felling thankfully lessening by the time he was lying on his back in the dark, the finality of having reached his destination, now unable to turn back, making him feel the tiniest bit better. The jet lag caught up with him quickly and Dani just managed to send a text to his fiancé before falling into a deep, but not exactly restful, sleep.

Dani: Hey babe, arrived safely. Skype tomorrow? I’ll text you when I’m free. Give Pilar a massive kiss from her daddy. I love you and I miss you both!

*****

“We start with the championship leader and winner of the first race in Qatar, Dani Pedrosa. First of all, Dani, congratulations on the recent birth of your daughter. How is she doing?”

Slightly uncomfortable but accustomed to personal questions since his relationship with Marc had become public knowledge, Dani shifted in his seat before leaning in closer to the microphone. “Thank you. She’s doing great, thankfully. Completely healthy. We’re definitely blessed with such a beautiful little girl.”

“Good to hear. You showed some very impressive pace throughout the whole weekend in Qatar, do you think you’ll be able to replicate that this weekend?”

“For sure we had some great pace and a very good rhythm in Qatar and it’s definitely my hope that we can continue with that rhythm this weekend. It will be difficult, we have only raced at this track once before so I am not as comfortable here as I am at other circuits but sure, we will try.”

“Obviously your fiancé, Marc Marquez, is the only rider in the premier class to have won here before… Did you make a plan with him before you left on how to beat the Yamahas? Are you going to try to keep Circuit of the Americas in the family?”

Vale turned to look at him, large grin on his face and clearly a lot more interested making Dani giggle, the sensation almost foreign to him. “We didn’t talk about it but yes, I would like to make this a Honda circuit for sure. I would love to win here, I have a lot of motivation to get a good result. My family cannot be here, of course, so I’m hoping to win this race for them.”

*****

“That press conference wasn’t so bad…”

Dani couldn’t stop grinning as he stared at his fiancé on the computer screen, almost feeling like they were actually sitting opposite each other, Pilar propped up in his lap staring at him, obviously confused. “It could have been worse. I think Alberto must have put out a warning… How have you been? Is everything okay with her?”

Marc smiled at his baby as she began to move her arms and legs about at the sound of her father’s voice. “Fine. She cried for a little while after you left yesterday but we cuddled for a bit and she stopped. It’s been strange not having you here… I miss you so much.”

“I miss you, too. I can’t wait to be back home again but I’m glad I’m going to be kept busy, it gives me less time to… think.”

“I know what you mean, I’m trying to keep myself as occupied as possible. Although it’s not exactly hard when you have a baby…” Marc chuckled, bouncing Pilar gently on his knee as she started to whinge, “We’re going to be watching Daddy and Uncle Alex and the tv screen tomorrow though, won’t we, Pilar? And we’ll kill them if they hurt themselves.”

Laughing at the threat made with such an infantile voice, Dani arched an eyebrow. “What about Uncle Vale?”

“Him too. But we want Uncle Vale to lose, don’t we? Yes we do!”

“I’ll tell Alex you said that.”

“Be my guest.”

****

“We’re here with our race winner, Dani Pedrosa. First of all congratulations on a fantastic race, we can see on your face just how much this win means to you. Talk us through the race.”

“Well, my start was not so good. I ended up back in fifth, sixth, position so I had to work very hard to get back to the front and really compete with Lorenzo. Iannone also made a good a very good race and it was very difficult to get past the both of them but thankfully I managed to make the overtake stick with three laps to go. Then I just had to put a little bit of distance between us to win the race.”

“You had a lucky escape on the twelfth lap when Rossi crashed out in front of you but you were forced to run wide, that obviously had an effect...”

“For sure. I had to run wide but thankfully it was not into the gravel so my tires were okay but it cost me a couple of seconds. In the end, fortunately, it didn’t have too much of an impact. I’ve spoken to Vale and he’s okay so I’m happy about that.”

“You said in the press conference on Thursday that this was a race that you really wanted to win but pole just managed to evade you… How confident were you that you could do it?”

“I knew it wouldn’t be easy, especially because Lorenzo has been strong all weekend, so I just had to go out there and give it my all and thankfully today that was enough to get the win. This is a very special race for me and I want to dedicate the win to Marc and Pilar.”


	74. Moving, Talking, Walking, Breathing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick update! I'm happy about this :) This chapter kind of took on a life of it's own... It wasn't meant to be this long but anyway! Thank you! ♥

“So what’s the verdict?” Dani wondered with baited breath, knowing this day was something Marc had been worrying about ever since Pilar was born, the defining moment if he was going to continue as planned before her birth.

“I’ve been given the all clear to start training again.”

Leaving out a squeal, his team all turning to look at his as if he were mad, Dani bit his lip and gave a little apologetic wave, too happy to keep from grinning like an idiot. “That’s fantastic! I’m so happy for you.”

“I’m so happy too. Although the doctor said that I should start off slowly but this keeps me on track.”

“It wouldn’t be the end of the world if you had to push it back another week or two but I’m so happy everything is going as planned. You’ll be back before you know it, making everyone else’s lives a misery…”

“Oh _wow_ , I love you too, Dani!”

 _I’m glad there’s not too much sarcasm in there…_ “I’m only joking, you know I love you.”

“I know. Speaking of which… do you know what else this means?”

Dani chuckled, pretty much knowing from the tone of the younger man’s voice where this was going. “I have a feeling I do…” he blushed, casting a glance at his team who remained blissfully ignorant.

“Sex! I can officially, safely have sex with you again.”

Feeling his cock twitch at the thought of that, loving his daughter more than anything but unable to remember the last time he’d done anything remotely sexual with Marc, Dani scrubbed his face, not exactly the time or place to be thinking about _that_. “That-“ he coughed awkwardly, “that is very good news.”

The younger man hummed his approval, the simple noise sending a shiver down his spine. “I was thinking maybe we could _allow_ Alex and Vale to spend time with Pilar after the race on Sunday….”

 _Were you now? You make it sound like we would be doing them a favour. “_ Sounds like a plan…”

“Excellent. But Dani?”

“Yeah?”

“As much as I loved giving you a daughter and everything, we’re using condoms _every single time_ from now on, okay?”

Dani’s eyes widened, the thought of going through another pregnancy anytime soon downright terrifying. “Definitely okay.”

*****

“Have you got everything?” Julia asked, all the baggage already packed into the car, the three of them standing outside the house organising the last couple of things before they set off for the airport.

 _Are you going to keep asking me this?_ Marc arched an eyebrow, going through everything they could possibly need in his head. “I have bottles, milk powder, everything she would need, clothes, passports, stroller… Yeah, I have everything.”

Roser and Julia exchanged a look as their son opened the door of the car, just about to get in. “Marc?”

“What?”

 _Is he really not going to notice?_ “Are you _sure_ you haven’t forgotten anything?”

 _Ugh. Yes, leave me alone. Let’s go._ “I have everything.”

 _Oh really?_ Trying to keep a straight face, an incredibly hard task, Roser rolled her eyes. “Marc, where’s Pilar?”

There was a moment of silence as her words sunk in, Marc dashing back inside the house to get his daughter before Julia and Roser could even blink, leaving the two of them laughing to themselves as a rather embarrassed looking Marc locked up and arrived back, Pilar smiling away in her carrier. “Do _not_ tell Dani about this.”

“I have everything, he says. Everything _except_ the baby.”

*****

Marc: We’re here! There are two massive kisses from your two favourite people waiting for you…

Dani: You’re here! I’m just about to head to hospitality with my father and Eric, you hungry?

Marc: STARVING. See you in a couple of minutes :)

Dani: STARVING? Are you sure there isn’t something you want to tell me? :/

Marc: Be quiet. Or else I’ll bring her down to Estrella Galicia…

Dani: NO! My daughter! I’m sorry…

Marc: Thought so.

 

“There’s my little princess,” Dani grinned, hopping up from his seat the moment he saw his fiancé enter with their daughter, Roser pushing the stroller while Marc had Pilar cradled against him, head rested on his shoulder.

“Do you hear that, Pilar? Papa came all the way from Switzerland to visit your Daddy and he only wants to see you. I suppose I’ll just drop you off and head back home…”

Glad to see that Marc hadn’t lost his flair for the dramatics, Dani rolled his eyes, taking the baby from Marc before pressing his lips against the younger man’s, so happy to have them both there that he didn’t really care about the public display of affection in his place of work. “Hey, babe. I’m very glad you’re here.”

 _That’s more like it._ “Me too.”

“How’s my beautiful girl, huh? Did you enjoy your first ever flight?” he cooed, Pilar grinning up at him with her big chocolaty eyes. She was always so happy to see him that it made his heart hurt, the thought that she knew exactly who he was to her at such a young age always astounding him.

“She slept through most of it, thank god. I had to give her a bottle for take-off and landing to help with her ears but other than that…”

Roser scoffed, grinning mischievously. “She almost didn’t make it onto the plane…" _Hoe don't do it..._  "Mr Organisation here had everything else… except the baby. It took Julia and I a good minute of asking for him to realise that he’d left her inside.”  _Oh my god._

Eric was no more good, almost choking on his sandwich as he cackled like a madman and Dani wasn’t too far behind him, gasping in mock horror and turning so that the child was directed away from Marc. “You forgot her! You _forgot_ our baby?”

Glaring at his mother, Marc pouted. “I wouldn’t have left her behind! I would have realised when I got into the car that my baby wasn’t there! You’re making me out to be an unfit parent.”

“At least I know when I sue for custody that I’ll win, isn’t that right, Pilar?”

 _You’re an asshole._ “Come on, Pilar. We’re going back home. Your Daddy doesn’t appreciate us…”

“You know I’m only joking,” Dani rolled his eyes again, sitting down in his seat next to his father who was only too delighted to see his grandchild again, “I’ll hold onto her while you two get food.”

“Pff, like you’re going to give her back anytime soon anyway.”

*****

Dani felt a little bit bad, Marc _almost_ forgetting Pilar pretty much became the talking point of his visit for the first day, especially once Alex found out. He went on to tell Emilio, Vale and Santi who mocked the reigning world champion endlessly, leading to a handful of borderline playful Marquez strops. The older rider spent as much time with his daughter and fiancé as possible before duty called again, this time for FP4, not feeling the need to push too hard since he was already safely through to Q2.

While the Moto3 session was finishing up, Marc headed back to Dani’s motorhome to get some things that Pilar would need before joining the Repsol team in the garage. His nerves seemed to get the better of him, the feeling of being back there after such a long break a little hard to get used to, like he was an outsider and Casey was their rider once again. But he needn’t have worried, the world champion was welcomed back with open arms by his and Dani’s team alike, turning even the toughest guys to goo as he walked into the garage with his little girl in his arms, a pair of MM93 over the ear protectors that were far too big even though they were made for babies secured in place.

Livio, getting his way as usual, was the first to hold her, trying his best to look a little bit less scary so that she would feel comfortable with him and not scream the garage down. “Look at this beautiful girl, you’re just too adorable. Your Papa better be careful or someone might run off with you…” the Italian grinned, causing Pilar to make a face and start to whimper, Marc trying his best not to laugh, “She’s very like you, Marc. Although I can see some Dani in her too… like your nose, you have Daddy Dani’s nose, don’t you?” he cooed, placing a kiss on her forehead that Pilar really didn’t seem to like at all, bursting out crying at the contact, leading to her being firmly placed back in her father’s arms by the team boss.

Apparently, Santi was the antidote to Livio. He claimed to be good with babies, Marc more than willing to let him try to placate Pilar, offering her up to him with a ‘be my guest’ shrug. And he calmed her instantly, much to the young rider’s astonishment. She began to grin again as Santi bounced her gently, making silly faces at her.

“Well I’ll be damned…”

Looking highly offended, Livio frowned. “It’s the beard. He looks like a teddy bear…”

*****

_“Very nice image today in the Repsol Honda garage… Our reigning World Champion Marc Marquez cheering on as his fiancé and team mate Dani Pedrosa secures his win and extends his lead in the championship, with their new addition Pilar in his arms.”_

_“I managed to get a good look at her in Estrella Galicia hospitality yesterday and my god she is beautiful. It’s almost like looking at Marc.”_

_“Not exactly bad genes to have, to be fair! Any word yet on when Marquez will be returning to us?”_

_“He was very tight lipped about it, apparently there’s a plan but he didn’t want to say too much in case it doesn’t work out. But we will definitely be seeing him back on the grid before the summer break, that’s the only thing he would say for sure. For the moment he’s happy to watch his fiancé get one over on the Yamahas.”_

_“Well let’s hope he comes back soon, the championship as the moment is very exciting but throw in another world champion, husband to be of our championship leader and it’s bound to be a spectacle.”_

_“Provided he’s fully fit of course…”_

_“Of course. But this is Marc Marquez we’re talking about, remember? He loves to rain on people’s parades!”_

*****

Pulling off his helmet, grin almost cutting his face in half, Dani felt his heart swell when he saw Marc standing there behind the barrier waiting for him in parc ferme, smiling as if he’d just won the championship and not a race. He ran to his fiancé, enveloping him in a tight hug, using a little more force now that he wasn’t as fragile, and pressed his lips against the younger man’s cheek.

“Congratulations! What a ride!”

“Another one for you two… Where is she?”

“With my parents and Alex in the garage, they’ll bring her out for the podium.”

He couldn’t even find words to tell Marc how much it meant, the two of them there cheering him on to victory, the fact that he won the first race his daughter ever came to making him feel so proud that he could cry. The only way it could be better was if it was Valencia and he had just taken the title, but that was possibly still to come…

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

*****

“And our winner… Dani Pedrosa!”

Marc let out a cheer, making an eek face at his daughter as she jumped noticeably despite her ear protectors and gave her a kiss to make up for it, hoping she wouldn’t start to wail. Thankfully she didn’t, transfixed by her surroundings, having never seen so many people in the one place before.

Dani was presented with his first place trophy, shaking the mayor’s hand before raising the prize aloft, pointing right at his fiancé and baby beneath the podium. Grinning like the proud husband to be that he was, Marc gently took Pilar’s hand, waving it at her father as he whispered in her ear.

“Your Daddy is going to be a world champion in a couple of months… You’re too young to know what that means but he’s going to be the best rider in the world. And we’re going to be so happy for him, aren’t we? Because we love him more than anything.”

Pilar just looked at him in confusion, obviously not understanding a word that he said but willing to go along with it anyway making Marc chuckle.

_How did I get so lucky?_

*****

“We’re alone…” Dani commented, the two of them sitting on the couch in his motorhome enjoying a celebratory bottle of beer, the silence almost eerie.

“We are, how weird is that? I can’t remember the last time it was just the two of us…”

“Before I went to Qatar. That was almost two months ago.”

 _Wow. It’s like I can’t even remember how to be alone anymore._ “That long.”

“Yeah.”

Marc’s frown remained in place for a minute as silence overcame the room once again before it all became too much and he burst out laughing, making Dani jump a little, the older man looking at him as if he’d actually gone insane. “What’s funny?”

 _This whole thing…_ “The fact that Alex and Valentino Rossi are babysitting our daughter and we’re here siting on the couch being awkward. How can _we_ be _awkward_ , Dani? How did that happen? I’m here, I’m fit, I’m still a sexual being…”

Feeling completely mortified that Marc thought this was solely about him, Dani bit his lip, hoping to god that he hadn’t inadvertently hurt the younger man’s feelings. He shuffled closer, closing the distance between them to mere centimetres. Marc seemed to approve of this, his laughter faltering, replaced with a self-conscious smile. “Sorry, it’s not that I’m suddenly not sexually attracted to you…” Dani explained, placing his hand tenderly over Marc’s cheek, his fiancé leaning into the touch, “I’ve been looking forward to having sex with you again for a _long time_ and now that it’s about to happen… I feel like I’m a bit out of practice.”

Grinning devilishly, Marc nodded. “Well _practise_ is definitely something that I can help you with. How about you just kiss me and we’ll see where we go from there?”

 _That is something I can definitely do._ Eyes darting from the younger man’s eyes to his lips and back again, Dani hummed, closing the distance between them completely until their lips met, Marc’s nose brushing against his cheek. They’d kissed since Pilar’s arrival, did some light making out at night when she was asleep and they weren’t tired enough to sleep, but nothing like this, never with Marc’s eyes smouldering like that.

It didn’t take long to get back into the swing of things. A minute or two of kissing proved that the younger man was no longer weak, he wouldn’t break, and things escalated quickly from there; Dani palming at Marc’s hardness through his jeans, causing him to moan into the kiss, fingers tightening in Dani’s hair.

“Bedroom?” the older of the two broke away long enough to say, Marc humming his approval against the crook of his neck. They eventually made it to their destination, shedding clothes all over the place that they would really have to remember to pick up before Alex brought Pilar back.

“You sure you’re ready for this?” Dani asked one last time, pausing as he reached over to retrieve the supplies that he had conveniently placed in the bedside locker, fairly certain of what the answer would be from the way Marc bucked his hips when their bare cocks grazed each other.

“So ready… now fuck me, Pedrosa!”

Chuckling at his fiancé’s enthusiasm but by no means going to refuse, Dani coated his fingers in a generous amount of lube, knowing very well that the length of time passed since he’d last had sex with Marc meant that it would be difficult to loosen him up. _I’m more than willing to be patient if it means that I get to do this with you again._

He spread some of the gel over Marc’s hole, making sure there was enough before breaching him with one finger, unable to remember the last time he’d felt so tight. But he was far from a virgin, knowing exactly what it would take for Dani to loosen him up again, doing his bit by completely relaxing, more than willing to just let Dani take control, gage exactly when enough was enough.

When Dani managed to hit his prostate, three fingers comfortably inside him, Marc cried out, all needy and wanton, the slow teasing becoming too much for him, he begged his fiancé to replace them with his cock, now that they had started the need to set it through was overwhelming. Doing as he was told, the older rider rolled a condom (extra safe) down over his length, lining himself up so that his tip was pressed against Marc’s entrance. Without seeking further permission, Marc’s moans telling him everything he needed to know, he pushed inside slowly, the younger rider gasping at the sensation of being filled once again. After a moment of staying still to allow him to get used to the intrusion, Marc’s legs clamped around his ass, pulling him deeper in an attempt to get him to move.

“Fuck, _Dani_ ,” Marc’s eyes screwed shut, his memory of what it had been like to have sex with Dani very much unflattering, almost as if he were discovering all these sensations again, like it was his first time all over again. Dani traced the new addition to his fiancé’s collection of scars, this one so much more important than the rest, the one that changed his life forever for the better.

The look on the younger man’s face, the adoration, the way it was twisted out of pure unadulterated pleasure, was almost enough to push him over the edge. He grabbed hold of Marc’s leaking cock once he was fairly certain neither of them would last much longer, only a couple of flicks of his wrist needed to completely unravel him, Marc coming with a muffled scream, dragging Dani over with him. He deliver the last couple of thrusts, filling the condom before coming to a halt, sweaty forehead pressed against the younger man’s as they both gasped for breath. The smile on Marc’s face, the glint in his practically black eyes, caused a flood of warmth in his chest, breath hitching at the beauty of his fiancé, so debauched and perfect and, most importantly, his.

“That was _much_ better than I remembered…”

“Hmm, I agree,” Dani beamed, pulling out, legs pretty much jelly as he collapsed next to Marc, bringing their lips together for a lazy kiss. “Let’s not wait another three months to do it again…”

“Pff, three months? You’ll be lucky if I wait three hours!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I love you more than all that's on the planet  
>  Movin' talkin' walkin' breathing  
>  You know it's true, oh baby it's so funny  
>  You almost don't believe it..._


	75. I Guess It's Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while with this one! I had half a chapter written and I didn't really like it but I got a rush of inspiration last night and this resulted :P I'm not sure it's going to go down well but... we shall see!

“All ready?”

Marc jumped a little at the question, Dani silently appearing in the bedroom with Pilar in his arms while he was stood in front of the mirror, the gym gear that he was wearing now seeming so foreign to him when he practically lived in it before. “All ready. At least I think so anyway, I’m kinda terrified…”

 _I thought you might be._ “It’s your first training session, remember that. You’ve just recovered from major surgery, your trainer isn’t going to push you too hard. If he does, I’ll kill him myself,” Dani smiled, willingly handing over their daughter when his fiancé reached out for her.

“I just have visions of getting started and wanting to quit straight away. I haven’t gone to the gym in so long… I’m worried I’m just going to decide it’s not worth the pain and just pack it in. But I can’t, isn’t that right baby? Because Papa needs to get money to buy you lots and lots of nice things.”

Dani folded his arms across his chest, arching an eyebrow. “Pff, this isn’t about the money. You could be a stay-at-home father if you really wanted to. But you don’t. And I wouldn’t let you if you did. Because the day you decide to give up on your dream is the day we don’t work anymore.”

That wounded the younger man a little, setting him on the defensive. “Are you saying you wouldn’t love me anymore if I gave up riding? That you’d leave me and our daughter?”

Feeling his heart clench just a little, Dani shook his head, face softening once again as he leaned forward to press his lips against his fiancé’s for reassurance. “That’s not what I’m saying, not at all. You giving up riding just because and me leaving you are in the same universe, because both will never happen. The hunger that you have, that desperate need to win, doesn’t just go away. That _person_ , the one who pulled that move on Jorge at the last corner in Jerez, he doesn’t just go away, no matter how in love with his little girl he is.”

“What if I fail?” the words left his mouth before he even knew what he was saying, so quiet and full of self-doubt that the older rider wouldn’t believe Marc had actually uttered them at all had he not seen it himself.

“ _Fail_ is not a Marquez word, you don’t know the meaning of it. All you know is how to succeed. Don’t think for a second that I don’t believe with all my heart that you can get back on that bike and start winning races again.”

Marc had to admit that he still wasn’t used to it, having someone who believed in you so completely that you never wanted to doubt yourself again, having someone who knew exactly what it took and _still_ believed. Of course his parents had always believed in him, as had Emilio but with Dani it was different. Dani _chose_ him, Dani _chose_ to share his life with him, to have a family with him, and that was what kept him going when times got tough and he felt like giving in. Dani, Dani, _Dani_. “Thank you,” Marc leaned in, making sure Pilar wasn’t crushed between them as he whispered against his fiancé’s cheek.

 _Looks like it worked._ “You never need to thank me.”

*****

_Woah._

Narrowly avoiding a collision with someone as he was rushing to his motorhome to escape the pouring rain, Jorge looked up from beneath his hood, surprised to find it was baby demon child (not to be confused with demon baby, more in reference to her owner rather than the baby herself) fleeing in the opposite direction. “Alex… hi.”

The younger man’s head snapped up, hearing a voice that he recognised but couldn’t quite place. “Oh, hi.”

The Yamaha arched an eyebrow, no super sensory vision needed to notice the red circles around his eyes, the moisture that almost, but not quite, blended in with the drops of rain. Alex quickly wiped his eyes, as if that would convince Jorge that he had been seeing things, looking a peculiar mixture of mortified and heartbroken. “Are you okay?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”

 _Wow, you’re an even worse liar than your brother._ “Fine? You’re going to have to try a better one than that on me…”

The younger man seemed to contemplate something deeply for a moment before shaking his head to himself. “It’s raining. A lot.”

“It is. It’s Le Mans, it always rains.”

“True.”

 _What am I even doing?_ “You going to tell me what’s wrong or are we just going to stand here pointing out the obvious.”

Alex frowned, hands automatically rubbing his eyes once again. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Then why are you crying? Or would you rather talk to Dani? I know this might be weird…”

“No,” he answered too quickly, “not Dani. I… can’t…”

Jorge tried not to look too surprised at that, curious and concerned at the same time by what could be so bad that he couldn’t talk to Dani about, especially since they were practically attached at the hip since the whole thing about his and Marc’s relationship came out. “Coffee in my motorhome then? I’m pretty good at solving problems.”

A hint of a smile broke through on the younger man’s face, eyebrows raising. “Really?”

 _Got me there._ “Well, other people’s problems anyway…”

“I don’t know if I should…”

 _Like I’m going to let you go when I can see from the look in your eye that your heart’s just been shattered._ “Your motorhome is all the way down the other end of the paddock… No point being out in the rain, wait in mine until it stops.”

Alex seemed to toy with the idea for a moment before his shoulders dropped and he nodded, lip firmly bitten as he blinked back the tears once again.

*****

Jorge: Can you leave it ‘til later to drop by? Sorry :/

Ricky: He says as I just step out into the pouring rain… :P

Ricky: What’s up?

Jorge: Sorry! I have a very wet Marquez on my couch…

Ricky: And you don’t want to share?? ;)

Ricky: (Is he okay?)

Jorge: I don’t fancy being arrested… :P (Not sure, haven’t got him to talk yet)

Ricky: He’s legal! Not that I’m encouraging you, my boyfriend, to have a try… (Fight with Marc?)

Jorge: Barely! I’m too old for him anyway. But you… ;) (Possibly, says he can’t talk to Dani…)

Ricky: ;) (Okay, go! Fix things :D)

Jorge: Might take a while… text you later?

Ricky: Of course <3

*****

“So…”

“So…” Alex shifted uncomfortably under the Mallorcan’s gaze, pressing his cup of (amazingly good) coffee to his lips.

 _I can see this is going to be easy._ “No Dani?” Jorge wondered, more curious than anything, eyebrow cocked.

The younger man bit his lip again, looking so like his brother that he actually had to do a double take. “Not a good idea. He was against it from the start…”

Finally feeling like they were getting somewhere, Jorge sat up straighter, any progress good as far as he was concerned. “You think he’s just going to say ‘I told you so’?”

“I _know_ he’s just going to say ‘I told you so’. And I don’t want him to because…”

“Because?”

Alex shook his head, more for his own benefit than anything, willing the tears to keep from falling while he struggled to breathe without feeling like someone was squeezing his heart in their fist. “Because I _really_ loved him.”

*****

Jorge: I have something that belongs to you…

Dani: Who are you and what do you want? ;)

Dani: Belonging to me?

Jorge: Well, kind of belonging to you… Really belonging to your husband, I’m not sure how you divide things

Dani: Not my husband yet :( Depends on what it is…?

Jorge: Your brother in law

Dani: You have Alex?

Dani: This feels like a bad made for tv movie… you’re not going to demand ransom now, are you?

Jorge: Yes and no, just a heads up. He’s… yeah

Dani: I don’t even know what that means. I’m coming over

Jorge: Do not. He doesn’t want to talk to anyone else right now so you should respect that. I’ll try my best to make things better

Dani: Since when are you two best friends? If he’s upset then I should be the one talking to him, he’s practically a brother to me!

Jorge: Since he doesn’t want to hear ‘I told you so’.

Dani: I’m going to kill him.

Jorge: No you’re not. You’re going to stay in your motorhome and do nothing. Do NOT tell Marc. I only wanted to give you a heads up so you can be more sensitive when he finally decides to tell you.

Dani: I knew this was going to happen. I knew it.

Jorge: Maybe he knew it too? Doesn’t make it any less painful.

*****

The sharp intake of breath from the older man when Alex finally disclosed the name of the guy was completely expected but still made him cringe, the way he tried not look too shocked but failed, the couple obviously seo unlikely that _he_ was the last person Jorge would have ever thought.

“Valentino?” _That I told you so makes a lot more sense now._ “ _Valentino_ is the guy you’re dating?”#

Alex grimaced, the other man’s words hitting him like a stab to the chest, only adding to the ache that was already present. “ _Was_. That’s the whole point. It’s over.”

 _You really loved him._ Jorge’s eyes widened, needing a moment to process it all. Most of all he was unable to believe that his team mate was still breathing and hadn’t died in questionable circumstances at the hands his older brother. “What went wrong?” _Or maybe what_ didn’t _go wrong is a better question. What wasn’t_ wrong _from the beginning._

“Exactly what you’d expect to go wrong. He says he’s going to want to settle down when he retires from MotoGP…”

 _And you’re eighteen years of age._ “Please don’t take this the wrong way but what were you expecting? And I’m not being condescending, I’m genuinely curious. What did you see happening?”

Squeezing his eyes shut once again, Alex shook his head to himself, scrubbing his face in frustration. “I bet everyone could see it but me. Dani, Marc, my parents, Emilio… Even _him_ probably. But I really thought we were above the age thing, I thought we were different. He never mentioned anything, not _once_ in the six months we were together.”

Jorge felt real pity for the Moto3 rider, he really did; having your heart broken by someone who should have known better was something he was unfortunately familiar with. “It’s okay to be angry. He led you on.”

“Did he though? Or is it my fault because I was too blind to see it? For ignoring all the warnings I was given?”

“Alex, this is not your fault. You should never apologise for hoping for the best because it’s what you deserve. Yes, he should have known better but I have no doubt that if he told you he loved you he meant it.”

“It doesn’t mean anything anymore though. I’ll stop going to Bologna, I’ll stop internally cheering for him when I’m meant to be on Dani’s side, I’ll go back home to my parents who’ll be supportive but no doubt they’ll be thinking the same thing that Marc and Dani and everyone else will. And then, after a little while it will be like nothing ever happened… I didn’t prepare for that,” the young rider admitted honestly, anger changing to despair as the tears began to trickle down his cheeks once again.

Without a second’s hesitation, Jorge got up from where he had been sitting opposite Alex and sat down next to him, covering the Moto3 rider’s hand with his. “I know I told you I would help you fix this, but this isn’t something that can be fixed. You have to heal and you will and, yes, eventually it may seem like it never even happened at all but it did. You got your heart broken and that’s terrible but it’s just like a really bad highside, or a broken collar bone. They hurt like hell until they don’t and then you get back on the bike again.”

“And what happens then?”

“Then you win.”


	76. Another Lonely Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait! I really dislike this chapter but I'm kinda stuck at the moment... :/

“What happened?”

That was it, the simple question that Alex was met with when he finally left the safety of Jorge’s motorhome, Dani obviously in the know if the look of sympathy on his face was anything to go by.

Taking a moment to close the door behind him, Alex shut his eyes for a couple of seconds in order to gather himself. While the conversation with Jorge had been in depth, he knew the one he would inevitably have with Dani would be so much harder emotionally. “Things went wrong.”

 _I guessed that much._ “What did he do to you?” the older man wondered, more concerned than defensive, heart breaking for his future brother in law when he saw the pain in his eyes, those eyes that were usually so full of light and fun.

“Nothing… he did nothing to me. Probably would have been easier if he did, at least it would give me a proper reason to feel like this.”

“There doesn’t need to be a ‘proper reason’, Alex. He hurt you, that’s enough.” _And I’m trying my best not to hate him for it._

Shaking his head to himself, tears beginning to tickle his cheeks once again, Alex bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood. “I feel so stupid… You warned me- you all warned me.”

“Hey…” closing the distance between the two of them, squeezing the younger man tightly, heart clenching when Alex’s hands grasped at his t-shirt, holding on for dear life. “Don’t, Alex, just don’t. This is not your fault. It doesn’t matter if it was Val- _him_ \- or anyone else, things go wrong all the time.”

“But it wasn’t, it was him. He obviously knew for a while, it’s not like he just woke up this morning and randomly decided he was going to end it. He knew and he still let me believe that we had a future together. I was ready to go _public_ for him, Dani. I could have made the biggest mistake of my life.”

“But you didn’t and that’s all that matters. You’re down at the moment but crashes make us smarter riders. You’re hurting now and you might still be in one, two, three months- maybe four- but eventually it will feel better and you’ll find someone that will make you forget that Valentino Rossi ever existed.”

Pulling back so he could look the younger man in the eye, Dani smiled softly, “Take it from someone who knows; I’ve had more failed relationships than I could count but then your brother was my teammate… He’s changed my life, given me this _beautiful_ daughter, and every heartache I’ve experienced before is nothing. I thank my lucky stars every day that those other relationships didn’t work out because if they did, I probably wouldn’t have Marc and Pilar. So I guess what I’m saying is you’ll find your Marc. Okay, it wasn’t Valentino but he’s just one person. Your Marc is out there, I promise.”

*****

“Dani?”

“Hi mama.”

Smiling to herself, Basi put down the cup of coffee she had been holding, making a face at her granddaughter who was watching her with big brown eyes from her bouncer. “How’s everything in France?”

“I’m fine but things are a bit… difficult?”

 _I don’t like the sound of that._ “Difficult.”

“Yeah, difficult. Is Marc there?”

“He’s just in the bathroom, do you want to talk to him?”

“No, I’ll talk to him in a while, I just need to speak to Roser first but I didn’t want to ring her in case she was beside him.”

Now even more worried, Basi frowned. “What’s going on?”

“Just… Just something with Alex, can you put me on?”

“Okay,” she reluctantly conceded, handing the phone over to her in law, “Dani wants to speak to you but you should probably somewhere private because he doesn’t want _certain people_ to hear…”

Roser took the phone, surprised by the request, and gave her thanks to the other woman before getting up and heading towards the stairs. “Dani? What’s the matter?”

“Roser, hi… I probably shouldn’t be telling you this but I think you should know before Marc so you can stop him leaving Switzerland…”

*****

 _This isn’t awkward at all_ …

Arriving at the press conference hadn’t been too bad because there had been plenty of people for them to talk to, Jorge and Dani joining up while Vale and Dovi had a conversation of their own. Not that there was much that could be said with that many people around, people with audiences of thousands of people, but they still addressed the situation in vague terms, Jorge wanting to know how Alex was, Dani thanking him for giving him a heads up… Both agreeing that _he_ should have known better.

That was all well and good until they had to take their seats and things started to get really awkward. The Italian said nothing, obvious that Dani at least _knew_ something at this stage, not wanting to rile him up before they were put to the journos.

Dani, however, didn’t see it like that. “He’s fine, by the way,” he said sarcastically, but lowly, gritting his teeth as he fiddled with the microphone in front of him.

“That’s good.”

 _You’re a fucking idiot._ “That was a joke, just so you know. He’s not fine, he’s broken.”

“Dani, I-“

“Okay ladies and gentlemen, we’ll start in around thirty seconds. Please make sure your phones are switched off…”

*****

Rushing down the stairs, gear bag slung over his shoulder, Marc had tunnel vision, making his way over to get Pilar’s carrier. Basilia and Roser exchanged a wary glance, knowing they had quite the battle on their hands.

“Dani just called… I’m taking Pilar to France,” he announced, clearly determined as he smiled at his daughter, unclipping the straps of her bouncer, “We’re going to go see Daddy and Alex and give them lots of kisses and then we’re going to murder Valentino Rossi, aren’t we? Yes we are!”

“Marc, I understand that you want to be there for Alex but you can’t just go to France. You need to think this through, you only flew to Spain two weeks ago… It’s too much on her.” _I don’t know if that’s going to work but…_

Looking from his daughter to his mother, smile fading instantly, Marc raised his eyebrows. “I need to be there for him, just like he was when I found out I was expecting Pilar. He was there, every minute, whenever I needed him. I’m not just going to wait until he gets home on Sunday and say hard luck. Pilar will be fine, she’ll get to see Dani.”

Roser knew from the moment Dani told her what was going on that they would be destined to fail, knowing her son far too well to even think for a moment to Marc would just back down. And he’d probably be a nightmare to be around for the rest of the weekend if they actually managed to convince him to stay. “What did Dani say?”

“He told me to stay where I am, obviously.”

“Then stay where you are.”

“Not going to happen,” he stated plainly, defiance in his voice clear as day as he set Pilar down on the couch, lifting up her legs so that he could wrap her up in her travel suit, “Stay if you want but I’m going to Le Mans- _we’re_ going to Le Mans.”

*****

Roser: I’m sorry, we tried.

Dani: I kinda knew this was going to happen… Thanks for trying.

Roser: We offered to keep Pilar for the weekend if he wanted to go but he didn’t want that either

Dani: He’s not going to go anywhere without his daughter so unless you want to hold her hostage he’s going to end up here

Roser: I’ll bring the travel cot…

****

Valentino: Can we talk? I want to explain

Dani: No

Valentino: Please? I’m sorry I hurt him, I just did what I had to do

Dani: You always do what YOU have to do. I can’t believe you think it’s okay after you convinced us to accept it. We knew this was going to happen.

Valentino: So what, I was never allowed to break up with him? I was under some kind of contract?

Dani: No, not an obligation. You just weren’t supposed to do what we all knew you would

*****

“Everything okay?” Emilio asked, eyeing his rider suspiciously from across the dinner table, those around them too wrapped up in the conversation to notice anything was amiss. He’d barely said two words since he’d arrived (late) to hospitality, something clearly wrong despite the Moto3 rider’s best efforts to hide it.

“Hmm… just not really that hungry,” Alex replied, voice weak and uninterested, as he pushed a tomato around his plate.

 _Have you learned nothing after all these years? You actually think I’m going to buy that?_ Despite his reservations, the EG team boss pursed his lips, continuing to observe the younger man for a moment before merely nodding his head, aware that if Alex wanted to talk then he would talk. _Unlike Marc who wants you to ask him._ “Okay.”

The whole thing becoming too much for no apparent reason, Alex pushed his plate away. He’d been a mess ever since the afternoon, only managing to keep himself together for a certain amount of time before falling apart once again, and feared that another breakdown was imminent. When it came, he wanted to be anywhere but there. “I’m going to head back to the motorhome if that’s okay?”

“Of course, you don’t need my permission,” Emilio shrugged, the situation making him feel uneasy, and watched as Alex got to his feet and pushed in his chair, attracting the attention of all those seated around the table. “Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“Have you spoken to Marc?”

 _Meaning: go talk to your brother if you don’t want to talk to me._ “Not yet… I’ll call him in a while.”

 _Good_. “Tell him I say hi.”

*****

Dani: I spoke to Marc… Sorry. I know you said you didn’t mind but…

Alex: It’s fine, I’m just glad I didn’t have to do it. How did he react?”

Dani: About as well as could be expected…

Dani: He’s on his way to the airport with Pilar and our mothers

Alex: How do you live with him?? Does he listen to anything you say?!

Dani: He loves you and you’re hurting

Dani: We may have to stop him from committing murder though :/

Alex: Dani I don’t want him to come here. It will only make things worse

Dani: I’m sorry :/ I’ve tried everything I could think of. So has Roser

Dani: Alex?

Dani: I’ll try again but I can’t promise anything

Alex: Sorry, just needed a minute to think. I’ll call him. Maybe if he hears from me he’ll calm down a bit

Dani: Might be worth a try. I know you’re upset but remember he’s doing this because he cares…

Alex: I know

*****

_Please tell me you’re not already on the plane…_

“ _Alex??_ ”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the sound of his brother’s voice stirring up strange emotions, the Moto3 rider sighed wearily. “Hi.”

“Are you okay? Dani told me what the bast-“

“No, not really. I’m still kinda in shock.”

“I’ll be leaving for the airport in a couple of minutes. He better hope that I don’t find him…”

 _I don’t doubt that. But here’s the hard part…_ “Stay where you are, Marc.”

There was the briefest moment of shocked silence on the other end of the line. “Are you kidding me? Alex, do you honestly expect me to just sit here and do nothing?”

Of course he didn’t see that there was nothing that could be done. “There’s nothing you can do! He broke my heart, there’s nothing else to it,” he concluded, his words making his chest clench, dull pain consuming him once again as his eyes began to sting, leaving him wondering how he physically had any tears left at this stage. “I’m sorry if I sound ungrateful I just… need to be alone right now.”

“Oh. I- Okay. If that’s what you want…”

 _And now you’re hurt._ “I’m sorry… But I think I’m going to go back to Geneva with Dani so I’ll see you Monday?”

“It’s fine, I just… hope you feel better. You deserve much better than _him_ anyway.”

 _Do I?_ “Thanks. Really, I mean it. Give Pilar a kiss from me.”

“Will do.”

“Marc?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.” _Please don’t be upset._

“Love you too.”

*****

Bouncing his daughter softly as she began to whimper, Marc cooed at her, phone clamped between his ear and his shoulder.

“Hey.”

“He doesn’t need me.” It was a hard pill to swallow, the realisation coming the moment Alex told him he should stay at home.

“Well there’s not much that can be done…”

“No, Dani, you don’t get it. He doesn’t _need_ me.”

“He told you that?”

“Not in so many words but… he doesn’t need me.” Looking down at the baby in his arms, Marc’s lip began to quiver, eyes filling with moisture. “When I found out about Pilar… I needed him- I needed him so badly and he doesn’t need me. I’m weak…”

“Marc, you’re not weak and, yes, he needs you. This is his first big heartbreak, if he feels he needs to deal with it alone then you just have to accept that. He’ll come to you when he’s ready.”

Exhaling wearily, he sat down on the edge of the bed, wondering for a moment how things would have turned out if he hadn’t had his brother there to get him through the ordeal. “I feel so helpless.”

“I know, I feel the same. But he’s strong, he won’t fall apart completely. I’ll keep an eye on him for you.”

“How did we let this happen?”

“I keep asking myself the same thing.”


	77. On The Road Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Montmeló time! Sorry for the long wait! And also, I hate to perpetuate antagonisms but I had this plot before last weekend happened... I am keeping it completely separate!

“Hey.”

“Hey…” Swallowing hard, the difference in his brother since the last time he’d seen him too great for his liking, eyes distant and baggy, Marc bit his lip. “I’m sorry-“

“Don’t,” Alex quickly cut him off, teeth gritted. _Don’t apologise for caring._ Never _apologise for caring_. “There’s no need.”

 _Look what he’s done to you._ Realising that he was probably acting more like his mother than he would ever care to admit, the older of the two shook his head, more to himself that anything.

Alex found himself doing just that before the words even fully left his brother’s mouth, something inside him snapping as he wrapped his arms around his brother, nothing as okay as he’d convinced himself it had been but somehow feeling better equipped to deal with it all anyway. _You were right, I did need you. I just convinced myself that I didn’t._ “You warned me… I really thought you were wrong about him.”

Heart shattering into a million pieces at the hurt, the vulnerability, in the younger man’s voice, Marc swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, pressing his lips against his brother’s hair. His fatherly instinct kicking in big time. “So did I.”

*****

Alexmarquez73: So blessed to have the best brother and goddaughter in the world! They make everything feel better #family #andthenyouwin #stronger

Marcmarquez93: #repost from @alexmarquez73 #IAM73

*****

“I’m not fit enough.”

 _Yes, let’s get through every single doubt you have now instead of later._ Shaking his head, just like he had done with the last five, Dani brushed his thumb over the back of his fiancé’s hand, distance between them in the bed almost non-existent. “You are. You’ve been cleared, your trainer thinks you’re ready, we’ve been on track together… You’re perfectly fit.”

Frowning, Marc pursed his lips, spare hand running absentmindedly over his now reasonably flat stomach, the fact that he’d been pregnant in the first place almost incredible if it weren’t for the scar and the baby asleep in the next room. “What about Pilar? I can’t leave her.”

“You won’t be leaving her, she’ll be right there with us. And for the hour or so at a time that we’re on the bike she’ll be with your parents. Or mine. Or Alex. There’s no need to worry about her.”

Biting his lip momentarily, Marc nuzzled into his fiancé’s neck, lips mere millimetres away from the skin, so close that he could almost feel it against them. “I’m scared.”

 _Oh, babe…_ “What are you scared of?” Dani wondered quietly, trying his best to sound concerned and not patronising, as he ran his fingers repeatedly through the younger man’s hair.

“Everything? Not so much getting back on the bike, if I did it when I was pregnant I can do it now, it’s just… everything else. Being fair game in the paddock once again. And I know you’ve already dealt with all of this but I just feel like it’s going to be open season on Marc Marquez.”

“I understand why you would feel that way; they were kinda relentless with me. But the good thing is I’ve already got all that out of the way for you; being the gay rider, the gay rider engaged to my team mate _and_ father to my fiancé’s child. And I’m glad I did so you don’t have to deal with it all. I think most of the personal stuff will be eclipsed by the fact that _Marc Marquez_ is back. Sure, Pilar might feature heavily, but you can choose to address only what you want. And you’ll have me, Emilio and Livio backing you up.”

“You really think that?”

“I really think that. And I get why you’re nervous, I really do, but you should be excited too. You get to get back on the bike again and prove all those doubters who think last year was a fluke wrong. Show them what Marc Marquez is made of.”

*****

“Who would have thought this time last year that the next time we would be on our way to Montmeló that I would have my daughter sat next to me?” Marc chuckled, looking away from his daughter who was strapped into the seat next to him in her carrier momentarily, eyes falling on his manager who occupied the other free seat.

“Pff, if I had known I probably would have handed in my notice….” Grinning at the obvious offence the younger man took to that, the rider’s jaw dropping open as he found himself on the receiving end of a very sharp elbow into the ribs, Emilio held up his hands. “You know I’m just joking. As I would actually go anywhere.”

“In too deep?”

“Nope, I just love the both of you to bits.”

 _I know, the feeling is mutual._ Wagging his eyebrows, Marc smirked.“Sorry, ‘Milio, but I’m a happily engaged man. I hope you understand…”

 _You’re something else._ Scrunching his nose up at the thought of _that_ , the manager rolled his eyes. “Wow, nothing is sacred with you, is it?”

“Nothing,” Marc agreed, glancing back at his daughter, smile changing ever so slightly as he ghosted his fingers over her soft dark hair, “They’ll take care of her, won’t they? It’s going to be weird going out on track and leaving her there… I feel like she’ll be vulnerable.”

“Of course they will. You really don’t have to worry about that, do you think any of us would let anything happen to her? We actually value our lives.”

Pursing his lips, the reigning world champion shrugged softly. “I just feel like she’s _my_ responsibility, not theirs. I should be taking care of her while Dani’s racing.”

Arching an eyebrow, shocked that the younger man had even contemplated that, Emilio shook his head. “I can guarantee you that no one shares that opinion; not your parents, not me, not _Dani…_ What you did… it was incredibly selfless. No one would even contemplate begrudging you this. You deserve it.”

*****

Deciding it was best not to go the whole way and hold hands going into the press conference, want to make a point of keeping their personal and professional lives relatively separate, Marc nonetheless stuck close to his fiancé, the two of them trailed by Alberto and Emilio. He had his usual Marquez grin plastered on his face as he made his way past the gaggle of photographers and into the media centre, 99.9 percent of the room turning to look at him, Dani scowling when his fiancé pulled out his phone and pretended to be busy with something.

“It’s okay, they’ll all stop staring in a minute.”

“Hello, yes, I’m here, I’m gay, I’m a father… get the fuck over it.”

Eyebrows raising at how Marc’s eyes remained fixed on his phone as he muttered that, Dani chuckled, warmth flooding through him as he realised just how much he’d missed having him around the place. “You tell them, babe.”

“I will-“ the reigning world championship began, smile quickly disappearing as he caught sight of the person he was _really_ looking forward to seeing.

Sensing he knew what was up, the older man followed his fiancé’s gaze, eyes coming to land on the person who’d caused so much trouble, nervous about how this was all going to play out. “Just ignore him.”

“Ignore him? The fuck I will! He- you _know_ what he did.”

 _I know_. “Yes but it’s not going to help anyone if you have a go at him in a room full of journalists.”

Gritting his teeth, catching Jorge’s eye from across the room, the Yamaha rider silently urging him to keep his cool, Marc’s eyes narrowed. “I hope he knows he should stay the fuck away from me.”

“He knows, don’t worry. He _knows_.”

*****

“And to the left of Andrea we have our reigning world champion, Mr Marc Marquez. First of all, Marc, a very warm welcome back. We’ve missed having you around here.”

Shuffling in his seat, Marc leaned forward, getting closer to the microphone. “Thank you, it’s good to be back,” he smiled, eyes finding his manager amongst the reporters for something to focus on, “Well, of course, I have been back but not riding so I’m really looking forward to the weekend.”

“And you’ve brought the little one with you once again.”

 _Really??_ “Yeah, we cannot leave her at home by herself and I do not want to be away from her so we bring her with us,” he replied, sarcasm very cleverly disguised, the room filling with laughter.

“I know you must be kept busy with her, have you managed to get much riding in since she was born?”

“Yeah, it’s more difficult than before of course. But I think I have done enough riding to be sure that it’s the right time to race again. I’ve done a lot of training with Dani and Tito and Alex and I can still beat them so it’s a good sign, no?” he chuckled, happy that everyone once again laughed along with him, casting a brief glance at his team mate a couple of seats away.

Dani leaned forward, eyebrows raised. “You beat me sometimes, not all the time.”

“There were a couple of close calls, Dani maintains that he won those races, I disagree.”

“Glad to see you’re as competitive as always! What about this weekend in particular, how likely is it that we’ll see Marc Marquez on the top step of the podium once again?”

Letting out a whoosh of air, Marc shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. If I was to give a completely honest answer I would say no, it’s too soon. When I have been riding for the past couple of weeks I improve, but I am still a little bit off the pace. And I do not expect to come back and win races straight away, especially since Dani and Jorge are doing such great races and have a very good rhythm at the moment. So to win the race? I say it’s not impossible but very, very difficult. At the moment I am aiming for a top five finish, maybe a podium if I am very lucky, but I understand that it will take a bit of time and that I am out of practice so I have to be patient.”

“Marc, thank you. Moving on to Valentino’s right, fifth in the championship, Aleix Espargaró…”

*****

Marcmarquez93: Reunited with my team once again! Thank you for the cake

26_DaniPedrosa: @marcmarquez93 Want to share the love? We’re starving over here on my side… #looksgood #sweethtooth #pleasssee

Marcmarquez93: @26_DaniPedrosa Don’t ask me, ask Santi. He stayed up all night baking it! #manofmanytalents

26_DaniPedrosa: @marcmarquez93 I’m just going to come visit my daughter…

Marcmarquez93: @26_DaniPedrosa Sure… #subtle #illmakesuresheknowsyoureusingher

26_DaniPedrosa: Cake! Santi really missed his calling

Marcmarquez93: @26_DaniPedrosa It was a fluke, he got the measurements for the ingredients wrong… #Santicantcount #prayforSanti

HectorMartin14: @marcmarquez93 Back one day and you’re already insulting me… I’m going to have to make an account to keep an eye on the things you’re saying about me! #thankshector #icancount #thankyou #andiboughtthatcake

Marcmarquez93: Damn @26_DaniPedrosa… he’s on to us :/


	78. Grand Theft Moto(GP)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick update! I'm a little bit proud of myself :P This is probably the second last Montmelo chapter... probably. So if you're a bit disappointed by the content, never fear! I also must state that I stole (hehe) one part of this chapter from Bradley Smith, major thanks to him for giving me the idea... ;) Thank you so much for all your lovely comments ♥

_Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck._ Shaking his head as he dismounted the bike, Marc trudged through the garage until reaching his seat in the corner, Santi and the rest of his team quickly gathering around him. He really wished they wouldn’t, the frustration eating away at him, all shortcomings falling on him since the bike was perfect. Everything was laid out for him, he just wasn’t connecting with it. _Sixteenth in FP2…_ “Pathetic.”

Eyebrows raising in shock, Santi frowned. “The bike?”

“No, me. I don’t know how to get the best out of it. I can’t remember how to get the best out of it.”

Exchanging a look with his colleagues, Santi pursed his lips, giving them a little nod, everyone taking the hint and giving them space for a moment. “Marc… remember what we talked about. You’ve had two and a half runs on the bike, no one expects you to be putting in equal times to Dani. So stop being so hard on yourself, okay? I guarantee you’ll have knocked at least a second and a half off that by the time quali comes around. Be it Q1 or Q2. So let’s gather the data like we always do, we’ll have another go, like we always do, and then we’ll improve. Like we always do.”

*****

“P10?” Marc asked hopefully, his manager the first person he came in contact with after leaving the bike in front of the garage at the end of FP3, the empathetic look on Emilio’s face pretty much telling him all he needed to know. _Close, but no cigar._

“P11. Pol knocked you down at the last second. Doesn’t matter, your chances of getting through to Q2 are still really good.”

About to shake his head in disappointment, he made a conscious decision to stop. There was nothing that could be done now and his team had been working so hard to help him get the most out of the situation. So he’d put on a smile and try again, try _harder_. Prove to them that he was serious about making this work. “Okay.”

Obviously not expecting that, Emilio arched an eyebrow. “Okay?”

“Okay. We go again.”

*****

It took a minute for him to realise what had happened; not until he was watching Alvaro and Cal fly past did he really understand, on his side in the gravel, the bike a couple of feet away from him. It didn’t seem to be too damaged but enough to not be able to start it up again and get back out on track. It was the strangest feeling, having been so long since he’d last crashed that it took that extra couple of seconds to compute just what had happened… and what he needed to do.

The marshals began to swarm around him, all wanting to make sure that he was okay, that he hadn’t been hurt. Yes, he was okay. No, he hadn’t been hurt. He didn’t care about that, enquiring as to how much time was left in the session, no one able to give him an accurate answer. Truth be told, Marc didn’t really care. He wasn’t just going to walk dejectedly back to the garage having not tried. He _had_ to try.

And the scooter was right there…

*****

“Uh, Dani...?”

Looking up from the data sheet in front of him, preparing for Q2, he searched for the person who had been speaking, finding them quickly enough. “Hmm?”

“You might want to take a look at the screen…”

Doing as he was told, Dani half expected to see that Marc had gone fastest, smile that had already appeared in anticipation quickly fading away at the sight of the relatively battered looking sister bike in the gravel. His gut began to wrench, a feeling of dread washing over him until he realised that his fiancé wasn’t injured. But he _was_ speeding away from the scene of the accident on a scooter. A scooter that had four marshals chasing after it…

 _Well, at least the fighting spirit is still there._ “Oh, Marc…”

*****

Eventually getting over the shock of seeing their rider hijack a bike, Marc’s side of the garage quickly sprang into action, almost falling over each other in an attempt to have the second bike ready for him to go out on as soon as got back. With four minutes left it was a difficult task, sure, but not completely impossible and if Marc wanted it _that_ much, then they were going to try their absolute best to help him get it.

“That kid is fucking crazy,” Carlos shook his head to himself, shocked but amused nonetheless, as he made sure that the tyres were good to go.

Santi wasn’t going to disagree. “It’s not anything we didn’t know before.”

Two of the team were stationed at the back entrance to the garage, Livio having barked at them to do so seeing as the reigning world champion was most likely just going to abandon ship, not wanting to be hit with the bill for another damaged vehicle. And he was right. Skidding to a halt and jumping off the bike, Marc let it tumble into the hands of the two mechanics before dashing through the garage, everyone wisely out of his way, and hopping on his second bike, all fired up and waiting.

“Be careful,” his crew chief warned him, able to breathe a little better now that his rider was back and on the bike again. He knew that if Marc had just done _that_ in an attempt to prove himself then there was very little he wouldn’t do. Merely giving a nod, the rider got on the throttle, gone once he was given the all clear from the pitlane. Everyone left in his wake remained almost completely silent, all exchanging worried and knowing glances, the atmosphere tense and tangible.

_And now we wait._

*****

_“I don’t believe this. Marc Marquez, who has been absent for almost eight months, has just stolen a marshal’s scooter in an attempt to make it back to the garage so he can have one last go at moving up into Q2. Have you ever seen anything like it in your life?”_

_“I can safely say, Nick, that I haven’t. Well, there’s no need to wonder how much he wants this anyway! If he pulls it off…”_

_“That would be something really special, wouldn’t it? And the cameras now cut to team mate and fiancé, Dani Pedrosa- who was comfortably through to Q2- watching on in the garage. Look at that little wry smile, he doesn’t seem too surprised.”_

_“We probably shouldn’t be surprised either, always had a flair for the dramatics, hasn’t he?”_

_“Indeed he has, Dylan. Tell you what, it’s going to be a treat to see how these last couple of minutes play out. Boy have we missed having Marc Marquez around here!”_

*****

Knowing from catching a glance of the timing board on his in lap that he hadn’t done well enough, Marc let his head drop slightly as he rode through the pitlane, disappointed with the result but confident that there was nothing else he could have physically done to make it through. _It’s a step in the right direction. It’s a step._

Dismounting the bike outside the front of the garage this time, Marc lifted his visor, cheeks turning a little bit pink as he was met with a round of applause for his effort. He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so supported in his life as he did then, the difference between this reality and what he’d expected absolutely enormous. Suddenly, his fears weren’t that great, everything seeming… doable. So much so that it made him feel just a little bit emotional when Livio clapped him on the back and draped an arm over his rider’s shoulders.

“Welcome back, kid, welcome back.”

*****

“Come on, come on, come on…” Marc muttered, trying out his father’s tactic of keeping his fingers crossed, watching the little screen with great intensity as the checkered flag began to wave, Dani two tenths up on Jorge’s time going into the third sector. Bouncing Pilar on his lap, pretty much demanding that his mother leave her with him in the garage, his heart began to beat faster and faster, as if this pole position was worth the championship.

“Come on, babe, come on…” _Third sector… up 2.5 seconds. Just keep it coming. All you have to do is not lose time…_ With mere seconds left to go, he was pretty sure that his heart was just going to give in, half standing, half sitting as his fiancé came on to the finish straight. _Please be red, please be red…_

-2.7 seconds.

“YES!” the reigning world champion shouted, springing to his feet as he celebrated Dani’s pole position, instantly feeling horrible when his daughter got a shock and began to wail, earning him a couple of mildly disapproving but nonetheless amused looks. “Your Papa is very sorry, Pilar,” Marc cooed, trying his best to soothe her as he turned her to face him, pressing a kiss against her forehead, sad brown eyes and big ear protectors making her look like the cutest thing to ever grace the earth.

“But your Daddy is on pole! Isn’t he? Yes he is… Emilio?” he sing-songed, catching his manager’s attention from across the garage.

 _Why do I have a feeling I know what this is about…_ “Yes?”

 _If we look_ really _cute…_ “Pilar wants to know if you’ll play with her for a couple of minutes while her Papa goes to see her Daddy in parc ferme…”

Wondering when exactly he’d become a glorified babysitter, Emilio gave an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes and very much ignoring the younger man’s triumphant expression as he reached out for the baby. “Give her to me.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Don’t steal anymore vehicles!”

*****

_“And here we have Marc Marquez, obviously over the disappointment of not getting through to Q2, waiting to celebrate Dani’s pole position when he gets off the bike.”_

_“If you had told me this time last year that we would be seeing this I would have had you committed.”_

_“I think anyone would have done the same! I tell you what, a lot was said about the potential for this to go wrong but I think Repsol Honda are going to have the last laugh. Imagine running a team where there’s no politics, where both your riders want to win but they’re happy for the other to do so too. It must be blissful down there now that Marc is back.”_

_“It certainly appears so… let’s hope it stays that way!”_

_“Yamaha… take notes!”_

*****

“Congratulations,” Marc beamed, almost pulling his fiancé over the barrier as he half squeezed him to death, “Pole!”

Pressing his lips against the younger man’s, very much uncaring that they were on camera, Dani chuckled, smile almost cutting his face in half. “Pole!”

“You’ll have to apologise to your daughter later on, she almost had a heart attack because of you.”

 _Oh god, what did you do?_ “Me??”

 _I missed this so much._ “Yes, you! I kinda got a bit too excited…”

“I fail to see how I’m the one that needs to apologise.”

“It’s your fault!” Marc insisted, leaning in for another kiss, “But I’m so proud of you. You deserve all the poles in the world.”

Feeling a swell in his chest, the whole situation seeming like some dream that he would wake up from too soon, Dani shook his head in disbelief. “I’m so proud of you too. Although I do not encourage theft…”

 _How did I know that was coming?_ “I had no choice!”

“I’m pretty sure the necessity defence doesn’t apply to last gasp efforts to get into Q2…”

“Well it should! If not, what use is it?” he winked, chuckling at Dani’s dramatic eye roll, “Go, do interviews and tell everyone how amazing you are.”

“Maybe you should do them for me? I’m sure you’d be better than I am…”

“Ha! Could you imagine? ‘Dani is very happy with this pole position’.”

“It could work…”

 _Keep dreaming._ “Go! The sooner you finish the sooner I can have you all to myself…”

“Okay, _fine_. For the greater good...”


	79. Unarmed on the battlefield

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm back again (again?) :P Sorry this chapter has taken so long but my creativity goes into hibernation in the winter months. (Mainly because of stress!) I actually feel really bad because I'm picking this up now and we're getting very close to the end :/ Which I would stop if I possibly could but after writing what I have planned I feel like I've taken this as far as I can. And probably should, I'm sure some of you think I'm dragging it out at this stage :P   
> I really hope you like this chapter! It's the final part of Montmeló and takes a different path to the one I had previously envisioned. But I think it was necessary? Hopefully!   
> Thank you once again for all your amazing support! Hopefully I won't let you down ♥

“Here we go again.”

Marc smirked, though it was more for show than anything, as he headed towards the fired up motorcycle that was ready and waiting in front of the garage. _His_ motorcycle, that he had finally reclaimed from Casey. Technically, it wasn’t any different to practice or qualifying but Marc knew it would be a lot more indicative of where he was at both physically and psychologically. _And it’s not just about winning, it’s about proving to the world that I can do it, I can have it all._

Chuckling at the familiarity of the slap on the ass from Santi, he mounted the bike, engine purring like a jungle cat.

“Go get ‘em, Champ.”

*****

 _Move bitch, get out the way…_ Marc thought to himself as he went full throttle, pretty sure that the straight line speed of the new (well, new to him) Honda would leave the Ducati miles behind. And it did; he had comfortably passed by the time he got to the first corner and was on the hunt for his next victim.

_Demon child is coming for you._

*****

_“Oh my word!”_

_“Well… that is probably the closest Marquez is ever going to come to crashing without actually going down!”_

_“That is amazing. The bike wanted to go, the front end was on its way but Mr Marquez had a message for it and that message was: ‘Not today!’.”_

_“’Not on my long awaited return to Moto Grand Prix racing, thank you very much’.”_

_“Well, if Marc Marquez can avoid that crash then anything is possible in this race.”_

_“Indeed it is. We’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out…”_

*****

 _Holy shit_.

That was probably an understatement. He steadied the bike just in time to set it right on the corner exit, heart so completely in his mouth that it would probably have fallen out had he not been wearing his helmet. Marc had to admit that he’d almost forgotten how it felt to have a near miss, how much scarier it was than actually crashing. He could feel his pulse, a violent throbbing, in almost every part of his body, pushing his senses into overdrive.

Shaking his head ever so slightly to himself, Marc tried his best to regain his composure. If he could save himself from that crash then surely he could do pretty much anything.

Or at least he could try.

*****

_Screw it… I didn’t win but FUCK YES._

Celebrating almost as if he had won the race, fourth almost completely unthinkable- realistically- that morning, Marc quickly clapped hands with Espargaró, Aleix, with whom he’d had a pretty fierce battle in the last five laps. A battle that he’d won, a victory that had secured him an amazing 4th place in a race in which his fiancé, championship leader, had come third.

(A race that had been won by one _Valentino Rossi_ but that wasn’t a fact that he wanted to dwell too much on.)

If you had told him during warm up that morning, when he had been twelfth fastest, that he would end up one position off the podium he would have bit your hand off for it. And yet there he was, basking in the glory of fourth position. After almost six months without riding, it certainly wasn’t the worst result…

It was all he could do not to abandon the bike mid straight and throw himself at Dani, who had just materialised alongside him on track, visor already flipped up so that he could see those beautiful mocha coloured eyes.

“Fourth!”

“I know, I can’t believe it!”

Despite his mouth being obscured by his helmet, it was easy to see that Dani was grinning like an idiot from his eyes alone. “I can. You’re the guy that started from the back of the grid and won the race, remember?”

 _I remember._ “Not the same but thanks for the faith, babe.”

“Always,” the older man winked before they were forced to go their separate ways when they got into pitlane; Marc destined for his garage, Dani for parc ferme.

_You are so getting it tonight, Pedrosa. So getting it._

*****

_Note to self… Pilar really doesn’t like helmets._

That much was made abundantly clear when Marc re-entered his garage, taking the time to congratulate his team before making his way over to where his brother stood, beaming, with his daughter safely in his arms.

“Baby,” he squealed, the moment made so much more perfect by the fact that he had his little girl, his pride and joy there to celebrate with, moving towards her with his arms outstretched. Pilar was having none of it, however, and began to wail the minute he took the first step towards her.

Alex, torn between being thoroughly amused by the inevitable indignation on his brother’s part and springing into action to placate his godchild, ultimately decided that the former could wait and began to bounce her softly, cooing at her while Marc abandoned the offending head protection so that she would know that it was him and not some kind of scary creature.

_She never cries this much when Dani is around._

“Shh, it’s okay, ‘Lara. It’s just me, your papa. No monsters here, I promise,” he smiled softly and she apparently decided to take him at his word, allowing Alex to pass her over without much fuss. “There we go… I’m sorry for scaring you. Again…”

“That poor child is going to be an anxious mess by the time she’s two.”

 _Fight me, Santi._ Marc just glared at him (as best he could with a massive grin still on his face) while Alex chuckled and shrugged softly. “Aren’t we all.”

*****

“Fourth in the race, Marc; how are you feeling?”

“Yeah… I am feeling very, very happy. At the beginning of the race I was prepared to take it easy, not push too hard. All I was worried about was staying on, bringing the bike back. Of course I wanted to do well but the most important thing for me was to avoid crashing and getting injured. I could build on this then in Assen.

“But a couple of laps into the race I decided that I had a very good feeling on the bike, and I say to myself ‘okay, it is maybe possible to push a little harder’. So I did, I really went for it because I was very confident I could make the passes. I just kept doing what I was doing. Fourth place for me is more than I could have hoped for at the start of the weekend, I can’t believe it. Especially because Dani was only one place ahead of me.”

“Did you ever think ‘okay, I’m in fourth- a podium position may be possible?’”

“Sure, it’s _possible-_ if someone crash or something- but honestly, I did not think about that. I was just under six seconds behind Dani and I knew it would take a lot to recover that time. So I just continued with my racing the way I was and if the gap came down then that would be fantastic. I lose a lot of time battling with Aleix so, realistically, a podium was never going to happen but fourth is just as good as a podium for me today.”

“Can you tell us what the bike feels like? Obviously, before this weekend you only had very limited time on it; how does it handle in a competitive setting?”

“Yeah, like you say I have very little time on the new bike coming into this race but the bike was perfect. There are some changes from last year’s bike but not too many. I think that if it had been very different then I wouldn’t have been able to save myself from that crash near the beginning of the race, so I’m very happy.”

“Does it help that it was Casey Stoner and not someone else that had been riding it while you were out?”

“Yeah, of course. This is true. Me and Casey, we have a similar riding style which really helps because we like our bikes to be set up in a similar way. Not completely the same, but a lot closer than Dani or someone like Jorge. He promised me to take care of her while I was not racing and he kept his promise so I have to thank him a lot.”

“I won’t keep you too long because you probably want to see Dani’s podium but one last question: do you think a podium is a very real possibility in Assen and do you think you’re close to winning again?”

“Yes, I think it is a possibility that I will be on the podium in Assen, especially after this race, but I know it will be difficult. So many things can happen in a race that you cannot predict. As for the win… we will see after Assen.”

“Thank you, Marc. Good luck in Assen.”

*****

They’d all told him it was a bad idea, those who knew.

Marc, not too often one to listen to warnings, kindly declined to take that advice on board. This was something he needed to do, an open wound that needed to be stitched up before it got infected. But that wound was always going to leave behind a scar that would probably never disappear.

Which is why he found himself knocking on the door of _his_ motorhome, waiting with bated breath for the answer which could very well never come. He wasn’t exactly sure how it looked, standing on his rival’s doorstep, but Marc hoped that he wouldn’t be stood there long enough for it to even matter. And he was right, it was only a couple of seconds before the door opened.

“This is a bad idea. Go back to Dani.” A very suspicious looking Uccio eyed him warily, the shock of seeing _him_ of all people stood there enough to cause a slight delay in his (far from pleasant) greeting.

 _Thought you might say that. Just like all the others._ “You don’t have to worry. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t necessary. I just want to talk, that’s all. I promise.”

Before Uccio could make a decision, the door opened further, Vale peaking his head out to ascertain whether his ears had been deceiving him or not. Turns out they hadn’t.

“It’s okay. Come in.”

“Vale-“

“No, we need to have a discussion. Can you just… leave us here for a while? Please?”

Uccio didn’t even attempt to make his distaste a secret but he conceded nevertheless, leaving the motorhome without having to be asked again. Vale held the door open wide for the Spaniard, face not giving too much away, Marc not even muttering a thanks as he made his way inside. “Would you like coffee-“

Folding his arms across his chest, Marc’s jaw clenched, a completely involuntary reaction. “No thank you. The only thing I want from you is to talk.”

Mirroring the younger man’s actions, Vale shrugged. “Okay then, talk.”

 _Well, here goes nothing._ “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, and by lately I mean the past couple of hours… I had a bit of an epiphany.”

“And that is?”

“This feud isn’t going to solve anything.”

 _Excuse me?_ Poker face now completely forgotten about, the Italian’s jaw dropped, heart rate beginning to quicken as he realised what that could potentially mean. “What?”

 _Yeah._ “You said you’re sorry and I can’t say that I particularly believe you but I think it’s time to put down the guns.”

“Does that mean we’re frie-“

 _You’ve misunderstood me big time._ “No, it definitely does not. I may be able to forgive- or _try_ to forgive- you for breaking my brothers heart but we are _never_ going to be the same as we were before. We’re not friends. And I can’t speak for Dani but I imagine he feels the same as I do. I do promise, however, that I won’t actively avoid you and I won’t go looking for trouble either. It just… is what it is from now on. I…” hesitating for a moment, Marc drew a deep breath, “He’s my brother, it’s too close.”

The notion of friendship being completely off the table wasn’t exactly something that the Italian thought improbable but that didn’t stop him hoping against hope that things could be repaired. Although, he guessed this was ‘repaired’. Repaired as much as is physically possible. Anything was better than an out and out war… “Okay.”

That was all he was going to give him? “Okay?”

“I appreciate that. And I’m grateful that you took the time to come here and talk to me. And I really am sorry, just so you know. It was never my intention to hurt him.”

 _Yeah, well you did._ “Like I said, it is what it is. That’s all I wanted to say so I’m just going to go now…”

“Marc?”

“Yeah?”

“You did great today. Really, congratulations.”

 _This feels so uncomfortable now. Who would have thought? Certainly not ten year old me…_ “Thanks. Congratulations on the win. But don’t expect to have too many more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Eye to eye we face our fears, unarmed on the battlefield._


	80. What if?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has ruined my life. What started out as a fun idea (that would probably be more suited to cinematography that the written word...) has made my life a misery for the past week. I'm not even joking. I did not want it to be 5,500 words but there was no way to cut it. And I really dislike it now but I'm sorry I spent so long at this that I will lose my mind if I don't post it!
> 
> We take a break from the current story to go back in time a bit. Basically the middle of [this chapter](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1844782/chapters/9559926) is important to this particular chapter so if you want to re-read feel free but I've given a bit of context?  
> Basically this chapter doesn't change anything. It's what could have happened if things had gone diffrently.
> 
> Anyway, I'm sorry in advance! I promise I'll do better next time ♥

**Laguna Seca 2013**

“Dani.”

They ran into each other in the lobby of the hotel, Dani on his way back from seeing the medic after his shoulder had started to ache again, Marc having just called it a night on his celebrations of his second win on the bounce with his team. Dani examined him carefully, hair almost expertly tossed, eyes wild with blown pupils that seemed to eradicate any traces of brown, cheeks flushed… just dishevelled in general. “Marc… hi.”

“How are you? Your shoulder, is it okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just a bit of swelling. It’s frustrating though, being fit enough to ride but not fit enough to get results.”

“Fifth place is really not bad if you’re still not a hundred percent. I’d take that.”

 _Yeah, well you didn’t have to._ Dani shrugged, wondering why his eyes kept moving from Marc’s eyes to his lips. You may be a nice person but you’re still evil. “You didn’t have that problem though. Congratulations again on the win.”

The younger man smiled, tongue darting out slightly. “It’s not so impressive, not when you and Jorge aren’t completely fit.”

 _Put that tongue away._ “Jorge and I are not your only competitors so I wouldn’t look at it that way.” Reaching over, Dani pressed the call button for the elevator, suddenly feeling the need to get away from the younger man. “You going upstairs?”

“Yeah, going back to my room. Probably going to have another drink or two. You’re welcome to join me if you’d like?”  _Is that normal? Asking your team mate back to your room to have drinks with you?_

Dani very much tried to hide his surprise at that. _You’re asking me back to your room for drinks?_ It was a bad idea, he knew that. There was absolutely no way that it could end well for either of them. That didn’t mean it wasn’t a tempting offer though… And it was because of how tempting it was that he quickly made a decision, before his team mate could cast whatever spell he used on the rest of the world on him. Biting his lip, Dani frowned. “Thanks for the offer but I probably should get back to my room and rest. Enjoy the rest of your night though.”

Trying to mask his disappointment, the younger man’s smile remained firmly in place as he shrugged as casually as he could. “Just thought I’d ask.”

“Thanks, again.”

“Hope you feel better soon…”

*****

**Aragon 2013**

Marc knew it was going to be bad. From the moment he had been told by Emilio in parc ferme what had gone wrong he knew exactly what everyone would think. Okay, he had clipped Dani’s bike but he felt terrible about it. It was a freak accident that could have happened to anyone…

But it didn’t, it happened to him. Just as it always did. Or maybe it was more the fact that it always happened to his team mate, to Dani. Regardless, he went in search of his fellow Spaniard the moment he got off the podium, knowing that this was something that needed to be addressed, remedied, quickly. He needed to show his team mate, the guy that he’d admired since he was just a little boy, that he wasn’t afraid to apologise. That he valued and respected him as a competitor… a friend?

It was evident the moment he caught sight of Alberto, his face like thunder, that it would not be as easy as apologising. Still, he would try- he had nothing to lose and everything to gain. So he fought with Dani’s manager to gain access to his motorhome; Dani, obviously hearing the not so pleasant exchange outside the door, called for Alberto to let him in, although it was by no means welcoming.

Bypassing the manager, Marc made his way up the steps and inside, heart hammering in his chest all the while. The older man looked, miraculously, uninjured, which immediately made him feel that little bit better. But Dani was angry, very angry. That much was abundantly clear. _And I think I know deep down that you have a right to be._

“Dani…”

 _Don’t you dare ‘Dani…’ me._ “Have you come to cut the brakes on my motorhome too?”

 _Ouch_. “No. I came to apologise. I’m so sorry that you crashed but it was a freak accident. No one could have predicted that would have happened-“

“Ah, excuses. Exactly what I had been expecting.”

“That’s not fair. You know I didn’t make you crash on purpose. It was an accident.”

Shaking his head to himself, Dani folded his arms across his chest in an attempt to calm himself before he said something he would regret. “You don’t get it, Marc. You’ve been doing this for years, always riding on the absolute limit. Sometimes it pays off but times like this, it doesn’t. You put others in danger and that is not acceptable. It doesn’t matter how nice a person you are if you do that. So please don’t go looking for forgiveness if you’re not going to change. You’re just wasting everyone’s time.”

Attempting to swallow the lump in his throat, Marc nodded. It was nothing that hadn’t been said before but coming from Dani… it hurt much more than he could have ever imagined. Because he’d hurt Dani. He’d managed to make him think less of him as a rider, if not a person, and that was the last thing he wanted to hear from his idol. The person he… well… Not that that was important now, anyway.

“Okay. I promise I’ll take that on board. I’m so sorry,” he said once more, so quietly that Dani had to strain to hear it before turning and walking out the door once again.

_I never want to see that look on your face again._

*****

**Valencia 2013**

“Campeones! Campeones! Olé, olé, olé!”

Downing another glass of cava (his fifth? Seventh?), Marc grinned when he saw Dani enter the bar, toning it down just a bit when he caught the older man’s eye from across the room and saw that he didn’t share his enthusiasm. Some of the tension to the their relationship had disappeared as the weeks after Aragón went on but the friendliness they shared in the earlier stages of the season was long gone. Marc wondered for a moment if they would ever be the same again.

“Dani!” Grabbing a flute of cava off the counter, he made in his team mate’s direction, handing it over after a slightly awkward hug. “You came.”

Dani seemed to hesitate for a moment before taking the drink, giving the younger man as genuine a smile as was physically possible. “Yeah. Not staying long though, just thought I’d stop by and give you my congratulations. Again.”

“Thanks. Might as well enjoy it before you try your best to de-crown me next season, huh?” He gave him a wry smile, cava making his mouth, and his brain, feel a lot looser than usual. Dangerously loose. It felt as if a deluge of things that he’d left go unsaid were dangerously close to the tip of his tongue, threatening to spill over at any moment. _Stay. For the night. Stay the night. With me. Let’s forget about Aragón._

“Well, I’m certainly going to try.”

“You should have some cake. I think it’s big enough to feed the whole of Cervera and then make a start on Sabadell.”

Swallowing down the majority of the cava, Dani caught a stray drop that escaped the corner of his mouth with his tongue before it could go any further. “Thanks but I should probably get going. Enjoy the rest of your night though. You deserve to let loose a bit after that season.”

Pouting, Marc frowned. “Sure I can’t convince you to stay? If I can’t entice you with cake then maybe a shit ton of free alcohol will do the trick?”

 _Do not say the word ‘entice’ when talking to me. Please, for my sanity._ “I’m sorry… I just- I need to just crash. This season has been exhausting.”

“Okay. Thought I would ask anyway.”

Catching Alex’s eye over Marc’s shoulder, the older man blushed. “Think your brother wants you. He seems to have collected a gaggle of girls for you…”

 _Yeah, it’s a pity it’s not a gaggle of girls I want._ “They can wait, you’re more important.” _Did I actually just say that?_

Thankfully, Dani actually laughed at that. Or unfortunately, depending on what way he looked at it. “No, go ahead. I’m leaving now anyway.”

Trying to hide the blush that was beginning to creep across his cheeks, Marc reached over and grabbed another full glass of bubbly. “Here, have one for the road.” _Please stay._

Never one to turn down cava, Dani took the glass, trying to hide his frown when his fingers brushed Marc’s. “Thanks. So… I’ll see you at the awards?”

“Yeah… See you then.”

*****

Groaning at the noise of the place, hundreds of people bustling about with excitable children and loud announcements, Marc cursed the fact that they’d decided to go on a pre-holiday drinking session the night before they were supposed to fly out. _And I’ve lost my brother and I’m not sure where._

“Marc?”

The familiarity of that voice caused his head to turn quickly, looking for the source. He soon found it- Dani Pedrosa, his team mate, a couple of feet away from him with a large suitcase in his hand and a…. blond woman by his side.

Trying his best to smile, not coming as easily as it usually did when he saw the older man, Marc gave an awkward wave. “Dani, hi. Fancy seeing you here.” _Really fancy seeing you here. Just not with_ her _._

“Where are you off to?”

“Ibiza with Alex and some friends. What about you?”

“Home. Visiting the parents.”

“I’m trying to get away from mine,” he laughed, only then realising that he’d completely ignored the blond and felt like a bit of an asshole. “Hi, I’m Marc.”

Coughing, only now realising that he’d neglected to introduce the two, Dani awkwardly placed his hand on the small of her back. “Sorry, Marc, this is my girlfriend, Mathilde.”

Marc was just about to extend his hand to her but she beat him too it, kissing him on both cheeks all while greeting him with strangely accented Catalan. Trying his best to hide his discomfort (though he wasn’t entirely sure of its source, he returned the greeting, almost sighing in relief when he caught sight if his brother over her shoulder.

“I better get going before check in closes and Alex kills me…”

Dani, who wanted this awkward exchange to be over as much as his team mate did, chuckled. “I’m sure they’d keep the desk open a little longer for Marc Marquez. Good to see you. Enjoy your holiday.”

“You too.”

*****

Marc: Can’t meet up tonight, sorry :/

Alex: Let me guess…

Marc: Don’t say it.

Alex: Guy. Older. Dark hair. Probably dark eyes too. Athletic…

Marc: Stop please

Marc: I’m not hurting anyone. I’m just having fun

Alex: Are you? Because it doesn’t look like it from where I’m standing

Alex: And I’m actually worried that you don’t see the pattern here.

Marc: There’s no pattern

Alex: There definitely is a pattern. Maybe no one else sees it because they don’t know you as well as I do

Alex: They don’t know that you’re in love with him

Marc: Alex, please stop

Marc: I’m not in love with him. He has a girlfriend, okay? A hot girlfriend who he takes home to visit his parents

Alex: The two aren’t mutually exclusive

Alex: Marc?

Alex: Be careful…

*****

Crawling into his bed at all hours of the morning, his body aching in ways that he never even dreamt possible, Marc tried to suppress the tears that threatened to spill out over his eyelashes. And there it was, that feeling, once again. He was getting better at suppressing it but there always came a time when he just couldn’t fight it anymore, had to succumb to that crippling feeling once more.

It wasn’t meant to be like this. When he was ten years old and dreamt of getting to MotoGP, of being a world champion, he never thought it would feel this way. On the back of his sixth win on the bounce, he should have felt invincible, on top of the world. But instead he just felt hollow, lost. Like he was looking for something that he doubted he’d ever find.

(He tried to ignore that treacherous voice in the back of his mind telling them that he had already found it, that that wasn’t the problem.)

He didn’t need Alex to tell him what his exploits were- he was only too aware that he was using those guys (and girls depending on availability) to fill some kind of void inside of him, to complete him if only for a little while. Before he feels the extent of the missing piece inside of him once again.

Marc was pretty sure that Alex was the only one who knew how much he’d been suffering and that was good, he wanted to keep it that way. That way he could pretend to the rest of the world, the people closest to him, that he was alright. That he was just riding the wave of his success as best he could.

But it was at times like this, when the fun and the sex was over, that he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders again. It was at times like this that he found himself wondering if this was it, if this was how he was going to feel for the rest of his life. If this chronic dissatisfaction would ever go away.

If this is the price he has to pay.

*****

Weird hybrid of a smile and a grimace on his face, Dani downed another shot, wincing as the pungent liquid went down his throat before putting the glass back down on the bar with a little more force than was probably necessary. He did it; first win of the season. More importantly, he’d put an end to his team mate’s fucking insane winning streak. He’d done that.

But despite his joy, he can’t help but feel a little down. Because his girlfriend had broken up with him the day before he went to Brno, she couldn’t have even bothered waiting until after the race. He kept reminding himself that it wasn’t the end of the world, that he never really saw himself marrying her in the long run anyway, but it just suddenly hit him, celebrating with his team, that he was alone. Again.

Dani never was good at being alone, despite his tendency to distance himself from others. Looking up from his empty shot glass, he felt a pang as the universe presented him with proof of that…

His team mate, and annoyingly good guy, had just entered the bar, side by side with some guy that Dani had never seen in his life. It certainly wasn’t someone from the paddock anyway. _Must be a friend of his,_ Dani assumed, gladly accepting the refill offered to him by one of his mechanics. _Yep, keep ‘em coming._

He tried to look away from Marc, from the way that his eyes creased as he laughed obnoxiously at something his friend had to say (he doubted it was that funny), head titled back and mouth open. It was slightly creepy, sitting at the bar watching him like that, but it wasn’t as if his team mate could see him anyway. And if he did, well, that wouldn’t be the end of the world either…

He thinks the tonight might be the night- the night that he finally admits that he feels something more than he probably should for his team mate. Because if he doesn’t make a move now, even if it ruins things, he never will.

Dani was just about to do it, to interrupt the conversation Marc was having with his friend and ask to speak with him in private until he saw it: Marc whispering in the guy’s ear, filthy smile on his face, and before he knew it the two were getting up from where they were sitting, heading for the door.

It was then that he realised that he’d blown his chance. Again.

_I really should have said yes to you that night in Indy._

*****

 _No. No, no,_ no _._

Marc’s hands shook as he pulled the decorative card from the envelope, feeling his blood run cold as the cursive writing was revealed little by little. _No… please, no._

But he couldn’t deny what was staring him right in the face, that little piece of paper that felt like it was burning right through his skin…

Dani. Getting married. To her.

And the worst part of it all was that he had invited _Marc._ He had invited _Marc_ to his fucking _wedding_. Where he was going to marry that hot French (or Swiss, whatever the fuck she was) woman. He was going to promise her forever and wanted Marc to be there to witness it.

It had to be some kind of sick joke. There was no other explanation for it unless the universe was trying its best once again to make his life a complete misery. Dani was getting married… to someone who wasn’t him. He’d long given up on denying how he felt about the older man, even if it killed him little by little to see Dani happy with someone else. But he’d always hoped that it wouldn’t work out, always had faith that they’d end up together in the end.

That wasn’t going to happen now. And maybe, just maybe, this was what it would take for him to move on- to stop lamenting the relationship that he had never been brave enough to take a chance on. His opportunity had passed and he would just have to live with the ‘what ifs’ for the rest of his life. Or until those feelings faded.

Whichever came first.

*****

Marc knew he had lost himself completely when he found himself being forcibly pushed away by his crew chief, having obviously thought it was a good idea to make a move on him after a couple of drinks. He knew the minute he had done it that it was a massive mistake, that Santi was happily married and he was just lonely and upset and fragile, especially when he sees the look of horror on the older man’s face.

“I’m so sorry,” he barely managed to choke out, tears now running freely down his cheeks as Santi just sat there staring at him in complete and utter shock, “I’m so sorry.”

Far from caring about the would-be kiss, his crew chief finally regained enough composure to move close enough to Marc to wrap him up in a hug, feeling the younger man fall apart in his arms. “What’s happened to you? What’s got you so sad?”

He knew he probably should have kept his mouth shut but Marc was just so past caring at this stage that he just… didn’t. “Dani’s getting married today. Dani _got_ married today.”

 _Ah…_ Santi would have been lying if he said that he hadn’t at least suspected that his rider held a torch for Dani Pedrosa but he had never once thought that it ran that deep, that Marc was really and truly in love with the guy. It made him wonder what else he had missed over the years. “I’m sorry, Marc.”

“No,” wiping his runny nose with his sleeve, the two time world champion shook his head, “I’m sorry. I’m a fucking mess and I… I was never with him, I have no right to feel so devastated by this, it’s just… I just thought that one day I would finally be brave enough to tell him how I feel but all I’ve done is let the chance pass me by.”

“Someone’s going to come into your life one day and make you forget all about this, I promise you.”

_I really don’t think they will._

*****

The wedding came and went and the more the days went by the more Dani started looking at his wife and wondering if this was actually what he wanted, if he has made a big mistake. That thought reared its ugly head again one night while he was cooking dinner, his wife standing behind him with her arms wrapped around his front, lips pressed against his neck. Dani could feel her smile, knew well that she considered this domestic bliss and so he smiled too, not sure if it was for her sake or his own.

Ever since the wedding, he found himself increasingly surprised by the lack of warmth he felt whenever they were together. Sure, it was good- great, even- but he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that it isn’t enough, that he was missing something. Something that he couldn’t quite put his finger on but just… _something._ And he began to wonder if that feeling had been there all along; that he’d just been too caught up in the rush of organising a wedding to notice its presence.

All those thoughts were put on hold that night, however, when they were tucked up in bed and she turned to him with a timid smile, biting her lip, and said that there was something she needed to tell him.

*****

 

**Jerez 2015**

“Oh!”

“Sorry-“ the apology caught in Marc’s throat when he saw who he had just run into, feeling that all too familiar pang once again when she smiled at him and…

_No._

It almost happened in slow motion, her hands moving from her sides to her stomach, which was an awful lot rounder than the last time he’d seen her… Feeling a bit light-headed, Marc fought to swallow the lump in his throat so that he could form an actual sentence. “ _Wow._ Dani never said…”

Her smile only seemed to get brighter as her eyes lowered to her stomach and he could practically feel the happiness radiating off of her. “We’ve been keeping it quiet… You know how he is.”

“Yeah, I do. Well, congratulations,” he managed to force a smile despite the fact that it felt like someone had driven a knife through him. “How… how far along are you?”

“Just under five months. It will be hard when the baby is born and Dani has to go away for races but at least we won’t have to worry about that anymore after November.”

Blood running cold, Marc was pretty sure that he turned ghost white at the inference. No, he must have misinterpreted it. Dani wasn’t… “Why?”

Smile softening, the blond looked around to make sure there was no one in hearing distance. “I’m not supposed to say anything but… Dani’s going to finish racing at the end of the season. With the baby coming, it’s time.”

“But what about the championship? He wasn’t won one yet.” _I’m not ready for him to retire. It’s too soon…_

Perfectly plucked eyebrows raising momentarily, she frowned, studying her husband’s team mate in mild disbelief. “You of all people should know that all chances of a championship went out the window years ago. Dani… he’s a great rider but his time had passed. It’s time for him to start a new chapter.”

Feeling personally wronged by her words, Marc bit down so hard on the inside of his cheek that he could taste blood, struggling to keep his emotions in check. _You’re wrong, you’re_ so _wrong. You’re his wife, you’re supposed to believe in him more than anyone does- more than_ I _do._ “Do you think Honda would keep him if they didn’t believe that he could? Dani’s got _a lot_ more left to give.”

“Well,” she shrugged, hint of smugness in her smile, “It’s a good thing it’s not Honda’s decision then. And it’s already done. No going back.”

“Well, I hope he sees that he’s making a mistake.”

The moment the words had left his mouth, the Honda rider turned and walked in the opposite direction. Before he could say something he would really regret.

*****

“Marc, _breathe_ …”

Continuing his pacing, tears stinging his eyes but at least for the moment staying in their rightful place, Marc shook his head, feeling the need to keep moving so he felt like he at least some control over himself. “Dani’s wife is pregnant.”

 _Dani’s wife is…_ Well past wondering where this was going, Emilio discarded his laptop and stood, hands coming to rest firmly on his rider’s shoulders. “That’s a bad thing, I take it?” _I’m going to keep pretending that I don’t know you’re head over heels for him._

Squeezing his eyes shut (last time he was in such close proximity with a member of his team he had tried to kiss him and _that_ wasn’t happening again), Marc took a moment to inhale as deeply as he possibly could in the current circumstances. “It is when he’s retiring at the end of the season.”

And he knew the minute the words had left his mouth that the cogs in his manager’s head were beginning to turn. Except it wasn’t _him_ and his pathetic hero worship he was thinking about…

_There’s a free ride at Repsol Honda and you have a rider that’s always been destined for the team. History is repeating itself._

Amazingly, Emilio managed to postpone his celebrations long enough to actually sympathise with the younger man. Giving Marc’s shoulder a squeeze, he tried his best to be supportive without coming across as condescending. “I’m sorry but I don’t know what you were expecting. He’s, what, 30? And he’s just gotten married…”

 _Yeah, silly me._ Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely sure what he had been expecting. All he knows is that it feels like a little (or not so little) part of him has died.

*****

“Guess what.”

“What…” _I have a feeling I know where this is going._ Hearing the unhindered excitement in his brother’s voice, Marc was powerless not to smile to himself. Even if his knuckles were white around the steering wheel.

“Looks like we’re going to be sharing a garage next year.”

“Officially?”

 _I know what you’re asking._ “Officially.”

“That’s amazing, Alex. Really, it’s about time that they got their shit together, huh? I’m so so proud of you.”

“Thank you. And yes, it is. Let the era of total Marquez domination begin.”

“The rest of the grid better watch their backs.”

*****

**Malaysia 2015**

Using the excuse of another coffee break (which was believable given the hour of the morning and how long he’d been up), Dani rested his chin on his hands, watching the small- but effective nonetheless- screen in the corner. Many times he’d watched races from the hospital, the smell of disinfectant making his stomach turn, but none had ever been quite like this. Mainly because it wasn’t injury that had brought him there.

He’d charmed the nurses into putting the MotoGP on the tv so he could keep an eye on his competitors, for what little time that would be the case, as he came and went from his wife’s suite- usually when she ordered him to leave for putting her in that position in the first place.

Dani made it back to the common area just in time to see Jorge take the checkered flag, noticeable absence of his team mate as Dovizioso and Espargaro, Pol flew past the finish line to join him on the podium. And then the cameras cut to Marc, shaking his head to himself as he stalked back towards the pits, cradling his hand and Dani felt his stomach clench just a little bit. He knew that look- that bitter frustration when things just kept going from bad to worse with no sign of improvement in the near future.

But Marc had weathered that storm before, just as he himself had done, and could- and would- do it again.

He didn’t have much longer to dwell on that thought, finding himself back in the delivery room quicker than he was prepared for. It was terrifying, more terrifying than crashing at 200 km/h, but within the hour it was all over.

Within the hour he was father to a beautiful baby boy.

*****

“Marc… we need to talk.”

Allowing himself more than willingly to be pulled aside at the party, not exactly the person he had been hoping to see but not fussy nevertheless, Marc smirked. They’d not seen each other in a couple of months but he wouldn’t be opposed to another round. Not after the disastrous week he’d had, anyway.

The minute they were outside and away from prying eyes, Marc moved to kiss her, eager to pick up where they’d left off. Before his lips could even meet hers, however, he found himself pushed away, kept at arm’s length.

“Marc, stop. We really need to talk.”

“Well, by all means, go ahead.”

“I’m pregnant.”

She didn’t waste any time, leaving the double world champion standing there with his jaw practically on the floor, pulse racing so fast that he feared for his cardiac health. “Pregnant?” For a moment he swore he felt the beginnings of a spark that he hasn’t felt in a very long time. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Having a baby at his age should feel like the end of the world and yet it just… didn’t. Genuinely smiling for the first time since he’d found out about Alex’s ride, Marc opened his mouth to speak, to tell her that it was going to be hard but okay but he never got the chance.

“I don’t expect anything from you. I’ve… I’ve got an appointment booked in Madrid from next week so you don’t even have to worry about it.”

 _You’re…_ “Excuse me?”

“I’m not keeping it, obviously.” The look on his face must have told her that it wasn’t _that_ obvious as her eyebrows practically disappeared above her hairline. “Marc, I’m a model. My career is just reaching its peak… Do you think I want to have a _baby_? Neither of us has time for a baby. I’m doing you a favour.”

 _Yeah, cause it really feels like it._ He tried to convince her to keep it, that she didn’t have to raise it if she just carried it for nine months but she wouldn’t hear a word he said. Wouldn’t even take his opinion as the baby’s _father_ into consideration.

Marc got a text from her the following Wednesday saying it was done. That was the last he ever heard from her.

*****

“Dani.”

“Marc, hi…”

Clutching his glass of cava even tighter, Marc tried to keep his eyes from widening at the sight of his former team mate. It had been, what? Nearly two years since he’d last seen him? Since then he’d won another championship and his brother had too. And Dani… well, Dani looked as good- if not better- than he ever had, especially with that stubble and that hair and-

_Stop. He’s right there. With his wife._

But he couldn’t help himself, he leaned in for a hug, squeezing the older man tightly. “Wow, it’s been ages.” _You should probably stop manhandling him now._

 _Please don’t let go_. “Yeah, ages pretty much covers it. Congratulations on the third one. It was just a matter of time.”

Grinning, Marc shrugged. “Still have to have a go at beating 9.”

Dani chuckled, suddenly filled with nostalgia (and something more). “You’re well on your way.”

“Dani, I’m going to go call my mother to see how Isaac is before I go to bed, are you coming?”

“Oh. Yeah, I’ll come with you if you want.” _Why do I feel like you don’t want me to stay._ “But Marc?”

It was hard to feel like he wasn’t persona non grata whenever _she_ was around. “Hmm?”

“We should catch up sometime. I feel a bit… out of touch.”

 _You’re out of touch, I’m out of time._ “Yeah, sounds good. Still have my number?”

“Yeah, I do. Night.”

“Night.”

Marc wasn’t entirely sure where everything went wrong, why he had let to opportunity to be completely happy pass him by so many times. But there was one thing he was absolutely sure of…

_That should have been me._

*****

“Yeah, going back to my room. Probably going to have another drink or two. You’re welcome to join me if you’d like?”  _Is that normal? Asking your team mate back to your room to have drinks with you?_

“Thanks for the offer but I probably should get back to my room and rest. Enjoy the rest of your night though.”

 _Oh_. “Just thought I’d ask.”

“Thanks, again.”

“Hope you feel better soon…”

It was a bad idea, Dani knew that for sure. But he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that it would be a mistake not to go. So, for once in his life, he decided to be really brave.

“Actually, Marc?”

“Yeah?”

 _Do it…_ “I think I might take you up on that offer.”

Smiling as if he’d just handed him a world championship, Marc bit his lip. “Great.”

_What’s the worst that could happen?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _What if I had never walked away_   
>  _'Cos I still love you more than I can say_   
>  _If I'd stayed_   
>  _If you'd tried_   
>  _If we could only turn back time..._   
>  _But I guess we'll never know_


	81. Rise and Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy ♥

**Assen**

_No way. No fucking way…_ Laughing in disbelief to himself beneath his helmet, Marc bounced on the bike, hitting the fairing with his palm. Pole; he’d just gotten pole. His first pole since Aragón last year. It seemed like an awfully long time but at the same time it just… didn’t. Lots of things had changed but that change has happened so quickly that it made his head spin.

His cool down lap, complete with practice starts, seemed to pass in a blur—his longing to get to parc ferme turning everything into a rush. Soon he got his wish, barriers opened once again to grant him entry as he parked up alongside Jorge and Dani. Carlos was ready and waiting to secure the bike, congratulating him with the widest of smiles. The familiar clap on the back made him grin beneath his helmet and Marc quickly dismounted, pausing for a moment before taking a run and jump at his team- all congregated, as they had done so many times before, behind the barrier. All waiting to give him their congratulations.

His stomach began to feel a little queasy as he was tossed about like a ragdoll. But, more than anything, he was just happy to be in a position to be tossed about again, truth be told. Once Marc’s feet were placed firmly on the ground once again, he could finally take off his helmet, feeling a lot less claustrophobic.

“Pole!!”

“That was some lap,” Santi hummed appreciatively, “We all thought that Dani had it.”

 _Me too_. Scoffing, the Repsol rider pressed the straw of his drinks bottle- which had just been handed to him- to his lips. “Ye of little faith.”

“Damn… I didn’t think it would happen this quick.”

Grin widening (if that was even possible), Marc handed the bottle off to someone at random before turning in the direction of the very familiar voice. “Hey, you did your best. No shame in that,” he smirked, his fiancé playfully.

Feigning offense, Dani pouted. “I’m leaving you and seeking full custody of our daughter.”

“Pff, not a chance in hell you’re winning that one. Not with your _criminal record_.”

 _Fuck you_. “You seriously going to bring that one up again?”

“Always.”

Just laughing at that, the older man leaned in for a hug, arms winding around the younger man’s back. “Congratulations, babe. You deserve it.”

Feeling the significance of the moment deep in the pit of his stomach, Marc squeezed tight, holding onto his team mate for dear life for a moment before pulling away, not breaking his gaze once. Sensing that it was okay with Dani, Marc grinned and leaned in for a quick but effective kiss. Although they’d both pretty much gotten used to the attention their relationship brought them, neither could help but blush when their teams (even the Yamaha crew) began to ‘aaaw’ and wolf-whistle at them.

Pulling away, despite the fact that he really didn’t want to, Dani chewed bashfully on his bottom lip, having to clear his throat when he saw how wide and wild the younger man’s eyes looked, how his tongue darted out to run over his lips where Dani’s had been only seconds previous. “I think I’m needed. I’ll catch you after the interviews?”

“Definitely. I think we’re in dire need of a… debriefing.”

 _Do not…_ “Sounds _fantastic_.”

*****

“Quick,” Dani ordered, lips ghosting over his fiancé’s neck as he backed the younger man up against the wall of his motorhome, “We don’t have long before they come looking for us…”

Fingers tangling up in Dani’s hair, Marc grinned, looking wicked as he felt. “Somehow I don’t think they’ll come looking for us if we both _conveniently_ happen to be missing. I think they value their psychological wellbeing too much.”

 _Fine, you caught me_. “That was just an excuse, by the way. You don’t know how hot it was to see you take pole again. I’m so turned on right now it’s _painful_.”

Marc’s teeth dug into his lip as the other man stopped talking, using his mouth instead to suck a bruise in the crook between his neck and collar bone, hand palming at him through his leathers. “Turned on enough to let me be _on pole_?”

“Fuck yes,” Dani exhaled sharply, as if the tortured moan he let out upon hearing that wasn’t answer enough for the younger man, “ _Now_.”

*****

Despite starting from pole, Marc didn’t win the race. Though he might as we have. Improving on his result in Montmelo, he managed to ensure a triumphant return to the podium, crossing the line in a lonely but satisfying third place. It felt like flying when he came onto the home straight, especially when he saw his brother and Santi squeezed between the pit wall, fists being slammed against the clear plastic screen. Milking the moment for all it was worth, Marc raised the bike onto its rear wheel for as long as he possibly could before having to make the turn into the first corner.

He’d done it; he was right back to where he should be.

With his eyes firmly fixed on the victory the next time around.

It was a disappointment to see Dani, who had the rear come around on him in the early stages of the race, waiting for him behind the barrier in parc ferme instead of right there next to him celebrating. But, despite how nasty the incident looked when he’d had to swerve to avoid a collision, he looked fine thankfully. Dani was still there and not off in the clinica mobile being given more bad news. That was good enough for Marc.

Hopping off the bike, he ran straight at his team and family, finding Alex first. His brother’s good mood only seemed to be getting better, since they’d both been on the podium for the first time in as long as either of them could remember, although Alex had claimed the top spot.

“Congratulations!”

“I never thought I’d ever be this happy to take third place. It feels like a win.”

Clapping his brother on the back, Alex grinned. “It is.” He let his older brother move on to other members of his team, knowing that there was one person he was looking forward to seeing above all the rest.

“Are you okay?” Marc asked before the older man could even get a word in, pulling in for a bone crushing hug, knowing Dani of all people wouldn’t mind how damp from the light mist and sweat he was.

Rolling his eyes, albeit affectionately, Dani nodded as his hand came to rest on his fiancé’s cheek, thumb brushing softly against the sensitive skin beneath his eye. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me. Well done babe, I’m so proud of you.”

“Jorge and Dovi were miles ahead, all I had to do was stay on the bike.”

“Well, you did a better job of that one than I did. And we both know it was more than that. A lot more.”

Smile changing from a manic grin to something much softer, Marc blushed for a moment, leaning in to press a chaste but meaningful kiss against the older man’s lips. “I love you, you know.”

 _I know._ “I love you, too. And I really hope next time when you’re on the podium that I’m right there next to you.”

*****

Walking into Marc’s motorhome to find the two Marquez brothers sat on the couch, Pilar between them pawing at their third and first place trophies, Dani fake pouted. “Damn, I guess this is a party that I’m not invited to.”

Looking up from him daughter, Marc pouted too, patting the free spot on the couch next to him. “No, you’re invited. We can share mine. You know how she gets around shiny things… She’s like a magpie.”

“But a very cute magpie,” Alex cooed, taking his godchild from Marc so that he was free to talk to Dani.

Wrapping his arms around the older man’s waist as he sat down, Marc gave him a big wet kiss for his troubles. “You were the one that had to bring home all the silverware when I was out. You deserve a break from all the hard work.”

“Nice try,” Dani chuckled, kissing him back nevertheless. What started as a playful kiss turned into something completely different as Dani’s tongue ghosted over Marc’s lower lip before it was all too willingly granted entry, the younger man shuffling closer without breaking the contact once. Oblivious to where there were suddenly, the two riders kissed lazily, Dani pulling Marc into his lap while Alex, now blushing furiously, tried to ignore them as best he could by playing peek-a-boo with Pilar. The low, but clear as day, moan that escaped his brother was the straw that broke the camel’s back though.

 _Ugh, can you not_. “I’m going to take my godchild and go elsewhere before you scar the both of us for life. Shame on you. I hope you never get a visit from child protective services…”

Giggling, his cheeks turning a deep shade of pink, Marc chewed on his bottom lip, arms unmoving from where they’d come to rest around his husband-to-be’s neck. “I owe you one.”

Scoffing as he fastened the baby’s little pink jacket, just so she wouldn’t get wet during the short journey to hospitality, Alex arched an eyebrow. “You owe me a lot more than ‘one’ at this stage. Come on, Pilar, let’s go see if we can find some mud to play in.”

“Alex, don’t you dare!”

“I’m just joking, god,” the Moto3 race winner rolled his eyes once again as he opened the door. “And I’ll be back for my trophy later on! Please don’t have sex on it!”

Groaning, Marc and Dani exchanged a look. “Announce it to the whole paddock why don’t you…”

 

**Sachsenring**

“You all right?”

Grateful for Emilio’s support as he exited the Clinica and made his way towards the moped that was waiting there for them, Marc nodded, teeth clenched. “Fine. Just a little sore. Dani?”

“Won, but it was close. Lead in the championship extended.”

Despite his discomfort, Marc managed to smile. “Good. Parc ferme?”

 _You must be having a laugh._ Hopping on the bike ahead of his rider, Emilio gave him a look that clearly said ‘you know the answer to that’. “You’re going back to your motorhome and you’re going to lie down.”

“But-“

“No buts. This is the first major crash you’ve had in a long time and you’re just finding your footing again, you need to take it easy.”

 _Fine_. Sighing, but knowing his manager was right all the same, Marc gingerly climbed onto the back of the bike, placing one hand on Emilio’s hip to steady himself as they took off, meandering through the crowds that were beginning to materialise now that the race was over.

It was only once he was in the safety and comfort of his own motorhome that Marc could finally take a deep breath. The whole time between the crash and leaving the clinica had been almost like the outside looking in, fully aware of what was happening but not brave to let himself contemplate what that could mean. That was the game they played; they gambled with their safety every weekend. And it shouldn’t have made him so afraid, not after what he’d went through in 2011, but all he could see when he let his mind wander was him sitting at home, injured, watching Dani once again from the couch.

So he willed himself to think about anything but that, at least until he was given the all clear by the doctors.

“Do you want me to do anything? You hungry?”

“I’m fine. Can you get someone to tell Dani that I’m okay? He’ll be worried when he doesn’t see me waiting for him.”

Nodding, Emilio placed his hand on the small of the younger man’s back, leading him in the direction of the bed lest he get any ideas. “I’ll do it myself. Just, _please_ , stay put.”

*****

Feeling the bed dip, Marc’s eyes fluttered open, having drifted off into a not-so-deep sleep once Emilio had left. Smiling, he let out a sigh as Dani, still wearing his leathers and damp from being doused with cava, reached out and gently his hair out of his face.

“How are you feeling?”

“Ugh, stiff. But other than that, okay?”

Reluctant to take that at face value, Dani’s hand lingered by the hem of Marc’s shirt. “Let me see.”

 _Bad idea._ “Nope.”

Giving him _the look_ , the older man gripped it anyway. “You know I’m a rider too, right? And I’m going to be your husband too so suck it up.”

Not in a position to put up much a fight, Marc sighed and let him off, grimacing when he heard the sharp intake of breath from the other man. “Just a bit of bruising, no breaks.”

 _A bit_? “I’ll take Pilar to mine tonight. You need to get a good sleep and you don’t need me in the bed with you either.”

Tears, inexplicably, beginning to sting his eyes, the reigning world champion shook his head, lips digging into his lower lip. “No, I want you here- I _need_ you here. And I need my little girl too, I need my baby.”

 _Babe…_ Seeing the pain, not entirely physical, in his fiancé’s eyes, Dani nodded as he made soothing circles on Marc’s cheek with his thumb. “Okay. We’ll take care of you. And I promise the time is going to come soon when we both finish the race and end up on the podium. It’s only a matter of time.”

Wincing as he shifted, Marc actually managed a smile. “Can’t wait.”


	82. Sube y Baja

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long! Thanks for sticking with me ♥

“Will you stop?” Marc asked, only half serious as he tangled Dani’s fingers with his, the orange glow of the setting sun on the water nothing in comparison to his fiancé, as cliché as it sounded.

Eyes light and playful despite the overly exaggerated pout, Dani bumped him with his shoulder. “Leave me alone. I miss her, okay?”

“Dani, we’ve literally been gone two hours and she’s probably- no, definitely, fast asleep by now. And, besides, you’re stealing my line.”

“Oh?” Raising his eyebrows dramatically, the older man chuckled. “So you’ve got the monopoly on missing our child too? Good to know!”

Marc rolled his eyes. “How about you quit your moaning and kiss me while we’re not in the presence of an infant?”

Well, that was something he could definitely get on board with. Stopping suddenly, Dani laughed when the younger man almost stumbled, placing his hands firmly on Marc’s chest to steady him before pressing their lips together for a slow (and public friendly) kiss. An ‘oof!’ escaped him when Marc grabbed him by the collar out of nowhere and Dani was beginning to think his fiancé had other plans when he found himself able to breathe once again, the suddenly change in intensity leaving him so taken aback for a moment that he remained as he was, eyes closed and lips puckered, until the sound of Marc’s laughter filled his ears once again.

“I should have taken a picture of your face. Would have been a nice addition to my Instagram.”

Dani didn’t doubt he would do it; after the now infamous horn incident, he knew Marc was capable of anything.

Smirking, the older man merely gave a little shrug. “Go ahead. And then just wait and see what happens.”

Marc stopped dead for a moment, too shocked by the little comment to keep his mouth from gaping like a finish. “Daniel Pedrosa, I’m shocked! Maybe Lorenzo was right all along and you just had us all fooled…”

“Maybe,” he chuckled, reaching out to wrap his arm around Marc’s waist and pull him into his side, smirk quickly turning into a grin when the younger man laughed along and brushed a kiss against his cheek.

*****

@marcmarquez93: ¡Hola todos! Got a question to ask me? Tag your tweets with #RepsolSummerBreak and #AskMarc and I will answer!

@calcrutchlow: @marcmarquez93 Hi Marc, I’m your biggest fan! Can you tell us how exactly you set up the bike? #RepsolSummerBreak #AskMarc

@marcmarquez93: @calcrutchlow Hi Cal, I cannot answer your question but please try again using #AskSanti this time

Santi: Can’t you just let me enjoy one holiday?

Marc: Jajaja, that’s what you get when you made a deal with the #demonchild

Santi: I’m telling Dani to take your phone off you

*****

“If you keep pouting like that your face is going to stay that way.”

The minute the words left Dani’s mouth, he knew it was the wrong thing to say. Marc’s head slowly turned to face him, pout changing into a full blown grimace, eyebrow cocked as if to say ‘wanna try that again?’ Obviously satisfied that _that_ look had the desired effect, the younger man, without saying a word, turned his attention back to the television screen.

_What was that?_ “Babe?”

“What?” the reply came short and clipped, so harsh that Dani had to work hard to keep his jaw from dropping. No movement whatsoever.

“Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine.”

_Really? Cause I’m kinda sensing otherwise._ “Are you sure? Because you seem a little bit upset-“

Standing suddenly, which would have displaced Dani had they not been so far apart, Marc grabbed his phone off the coffee table. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.” Without waiting for a response, the younger man padded out of the room, leaving his fiancé wondering what the fuck had just happened.

In the past couple of days Marc had become irritable, so unlike his usual self. That was excluding, of course, the relatively short period in the autumn of the previous year, but that had been so out of character that Dani had let himself forget once they had reunited.

This Marc, however, left him completely baffled and wondering exactly what he had done wrong that he hadn’t been aware of, if anything.

Picking up his phone, the Repsol rider hesitated for a moment before typing out a message.

Dani: Do you know what’s up with you brother?

The reply took less than two minutes to come.

Alex: Haven’t heard from him since Tuesday. He was fine then…

_Yeah, well he’s definitely not fine now._

Dani: Okay, I’ll try to talk to him again in the morning.

Alex: I wouldn’t say it’s anything major. He’s probably just anxious about Indy.

He acknowledged that that could very well be the case. The anniversary of their daughter’s conception would also see the first time that Marc would go to a race weekend unaccompanied by Pilar. They’d both agreed that that much travelling was not good for an infant, and entrusted her care to Roser while they were in America. That didn’t mean that Marc had to like it, but Dani was surprised that he was letting it worry him this early, with still over two weeks left to go. Two weeks that they would get to spend together without anything separating them for the first time since the season began.

Turning off the tv and the lights before locking up, Dani climbed the stairs wearily, tip-toeing the short distance to their room. There he found the lights already off and Marc sleeping, though his posture suggested that he wasn’t completely relaxed. What stood out the most was the fact that Marc was curled up on _Dani_ ’s side, with the duvet pulled tight against his chest.

That little detail startled him more than he would like to admit, and in that moment he would have given anything to see inside his husband-to-be’s mind.

But being unable to do so, he just climbed in the other side, hoping that everything would be better in the morning.

*****

The next day’s confrontation ended in a fight, just like Dani knew it would. And that would have been fine, only for the fact that it had been the single worst fight that they’d ever had.

It started so innocently. Marc had woken (Dani had been awake most of the night) and cuddled into his fiancé’s side, prompting Dani to press a kiss against his forehead. Smiling at that, Marc instead went for the lips, kissing him softly for a moment before swiping his tongue across Dani’s bottom lip, things beginning to escalate from there.

That was until Marc suddenly seemed to remember that he was in a seemingly unending bad mood and pulled away, frown taking the place of his smile in the time it took to blink. It was too much for Dani, who enquired once more as to what was wrong.

It was all downhill from there.

Marc got defensive, and while the older of the two tried to remain calm, it didn’t take long before he became annoyed too, the little tension quickly turning to sharp words and then full blown war.

They shouted like they’d never shouted at each other before. So loud that it was a miracle that the baby didn’t hear them and start to wail, but neither paid that possibility too much mind in the heat of battle, neither completely sure what the argument was even about. That didn’t stop them, however.

In the back of his mind the whole time this went on, Dani was aware that they were fighting over nothing and they really should just stop. But Marc’s frustration and whatever was going on with him seemed to be rubbing off and he found that he just couldn’t help himself.

Soon it all became too much and Dani quickly threw on some jeans and a hoody, being thrown acid laced questions all the while as to why he was getting dressed. Dani couldn’t answer them, instead he grabbed his phone and keys off the locker and left the room.

Marc followed him, of course he did. And, even though it probably was the pettiest thing ever, Dani was glad of that, glad that he wasn’t willing to just let him leave. But he needed to go, he felt like he was smothering. More shouting followed, but it was less accusatory than before and more desperate.

He heard Marc asking him to stay but giving no indication that anything was going to change and Dani decided to just go, closing the door behind with force but not loud enough to wake a still slumbering Pilar, making the short journey to his car in the drive.

Getting in and turning on the engine, he didn’t even bother putting on his seatbelt before beginning to reverse, only getting as far as the gate before he realised how completely fucked up this situation was. What was he doing? Leaving. For what reason? He didn’t quite know. Where was he going to go?

Killing the engine, Dani tore the keys from the ignition in pure frustration, slamming the palm of his hand down on the steering wheel. He remained where he was for a moment, trying to gather himself, before he swung the car door open once again and trudged towards the front door.

He’d expected Marc to have stormed off too but, to his surprise, after opening the door once again he found him on the stairs where he’d left him. But this time he was sitting down.

And he was crying.

That image was all it took for Dani’s heart to shatter into a million pieces in an instant. He looked so shocked by the fact that his fiancé had returned and that was enough to make him swear to himself right there and then that he would never see that look on Marc’s face ever again. Not by his own doing anyway.

Kneeling on the step below the younger man, Dani swiftly thumbed away his tears before crushing their lips together, uncaring that the crying had made Marc’s face all wet and his nose all snuffled. The younger man’s arms curled around his back, holding Dani firmly in place as they kissed like it was the last time they would ever see each other.

This time, Dani was the one to pull away.

“I love you, Marc. I love you so much and I’m so sorry but, _please_ , talk to me. Tell me what’s got you so upset.”

“I…” hesitating for a moment, had to work hard to actually answer that question, “I’m scared.”

“What’s got you scared? You know you can tell me anything.”

Marc seemed to be struggling to answer that, so Dani just left him be. Whatever it was, he would find out when his fiancé was ready to tell him (despite the fact that his own heart felt like it was going to fail with worry) and there was no need to forcibly drag it from him.

It took a minute or two of Marc opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, but the reigning world champion finally drew a deep but laboured breath and let his gaze fall to the floor.

“I think… I think _it’s_ happening again.”

It didn’t take long for Dani to realise what _it_ was. And, really, he should have known. Or maybe he did know all along but just wouldn’t let himself admit it. A weird sense of déja vu overcame him, except he knew that there was one major difference this time. They were together now, they were going to be married. Marc had been in this position once before, it should have been this hard this time. And yet…

“And you don’t want it to be.”

Nodding, Marc began to sob again, letting his hands drop to his sides to allow Dani to move away if that was what he wanted. But his fiancé didn’t move an inch. “I don’t want it to be.”


	83. It's Okay (I can't promise you)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in two days? Surely not ;) 
> 
> I'm sorry about this chapter and I hope you all don't completely hate it. I'm not even too sure I like it myself. But I promise better chapters will be coming! 
> 
> Thanks for all your lovely comments on the last chapter <3

Dani understood, he really did. He understood everything, no matter how much his fiancé feared he wouldn’t. If what Marc suspected was true then it would be nothing short of devastating for him. He’d been the one to give up on a season when it was almost a certainty that he would win the championship for the welfare of his child. He’d been the one to sit on the side lines while Dani carried on with his job as usual. He’d been the one to give birth to their daughter. He’d been the one to stay at home with her when Dani went back to work. He’d been the one to work exceptionally hard to get back on the bike again.

In short, it wasn’t fair and Dani would not be the one to tell Marc that he was overreacting because he wasn’t. This was a natural reaction.

“Okay.”

Marc frowned, watching the other man warily. “Okay? What does that mean? ‘Okay you feel that way so I’m going to take our daughter and leave now thanks?’”

 _WHAT_. “No! Marc, why would you think I would do that?”

“Because I’m a terrible person,” he offered, sniffing when his voice became unbearably nasally.

“Why are you a terrible person? Because you don’t want to have another child?”

“Because it’s selfish to not want it if I’m already having one.”

Absolutely horrified that Marc would even think like that, Dani grabbed his hand, looking him straight in the eye. “Listen to me, I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who could call you selfish. Just look at all the sacrifices you made for Pilar. You’ve just gotten back to doing the job you love after a really difficult year; if this is happening then I’m not going to make you go through that again if it’s not what you want. You’ve given me a beautiful daughter who means the world to me but you’re forgetting that we’re in this together- we’re equals- and I love you more than anything.”

“But what about our parents-“

“They don’t need to know anything. If you are and you decide not to go through with it then it can stay between me and you. And Alex if that’s what you want but no one else needs to know. So just take a deep breath because nothing is confirmed yet and try to relax. Everything will be fine, regardless of what happens, okay?”

Releasing a breath that he hadn’t even known he had been holding, Marc nodded, still gripping his fiancé’s hand so tight that he was sure it hurt, even if Dani didn’t let on that it did. “Okay. I just… I need to know for sure.”

Smiling softly, Dani pressed a soft kiss against the younger man’s cheek. “I know. How about you go upstairs and take a shower and just relax and I’ll call the doctor and see if we can get in there tomorrow?”

Nodding his agreement with that, Marc used the bannister to pull himself up from where he had been sitting turning to go upstairs before he realised there was something he needed to say. “Dani?”

“Hmm?”

“Just please promise you won’t end up hating me if I do it.”

Hoping for both their sake’s that it turned out to be nothing, Dani smiled once again. “I could never hate you.”

*****

“We need to think about this.”

Dani had been sitting on their bed, Pilar just after waking up and looking to be cuddled, when Marc returned from the bathroom in just tracksuit bottoms, little drops falling from his hair onto his shoulders.

“About what?”

“My doctor is in Barcelona and someone needs to mind Pilar.”

“Right…?”  

Sitting down on the bed next to his fiancé, Marc smiled when his daughter reached out for him, much to her other father’s playful annoyance. Taking the baby from Dani, he placed a kiss on her forehead before cradling her against his chest, bouncing ever so slightly.

“I think I should find another doctor here in Geneva. Or close by. It’s just we would have to go visit if we were in Barcelona and…”

 _This really is bothering you a lot_. “That’s fine. But we’ll need someone to look after Pilar, unless we want to bring her-“

“That’s why I think I should go alone.”

Faltering just a little bit, the older man frowned, surprised but knowing that he had to tread carefully here to avoid any more conflict. “Are you sure? If you’re right…”

“I’m not going to do anything without talking to you first. I’m basically going to have my suspicions confirmed or denied. Even if you are there, it’s not going to be a joyous occasion anyway, so what’s the point?”

Quietly nodding his assent, Dani decided that he needed to get away for a little bit, to have a little bit of time to think by himself. Because this Marc, as much as he loved the guy, was beginning to scare him just a little bit. Yes, he hadn’t been completely rational when he had been in his early stages of pregnancy with Pilar but this was completely different- this was calculated and well thought through. This was Marc fully in his right mind.

“Is it alright if I go for a jog? I’ve been neglecting my training for the past couple of days.”

“Sure. You can train for the both of us,” the younger man smirked, “I’ll stay here with my number one girl. Isn’t that right? Yes it is,” he cooed, laughing when Pilar smiled and reached out to touch his face with her tiny hand.

The sight melted Dani’s heart, and he was tempted to just stay there with them, enjoy the little time they all had together, but he knew that he needed to sort his head out. He needed to make sense of all of this.

*****

The jog didn’t take him far. Mind far too busy to keep running, Dani stopped by a little wooden pier that he’d become fond of since moving to Switzerland and the right side of the lake. Content that there was no one around to disturb him, he decided to sit.

This whole thing with Marc and their potential new addition had thrown him completely. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t been careful, extremely so, but he was well aware that things like this happened. He just wished it wouldn’t happen to them, especially since they’d just managed to find a good rhythm with their lives after all the ups and downs of the past year.

Another baby would change that completely.

The truth was, Dani wanted more children- and he was sure that Marc did too- but later on. Not when their daughter wasn’t even half a year old. Not when Marc had just gotten back into the swing of riding. Not when he hadn’t even had his first win after coming back.

Marc didn’t want another baby right now and, truth be told, Dani didn’t want him to have one either. While Pilar had been a blessing to them both, having another baby at this point of time would put pressure on their relationship that Dani couldn’t even begin to imagine. That would all but spell the end of the younger man’s career.

Even if regretting not going through with it was a possibility, resentment on Marc’s part for having to give up something that made him who he was indefinitely was an inevitability. First and foremost, he wanted Marc to be happy; everything else would follow from there.

_I support your decision 100 percent. I just hope you don’t lose a little bit of yourself in the process._

*****

Alex: Hey! Haven’t spoken to you in a couple of days, how are you?

Marc: Fine

Marc: :)

_That wasn’t in the least bit convincing._

Marc: Looking forward to Ibiza? I’m only a little bit jealous…

Alex: Yeah, should be fun!

Alex: Never the same without you though. I can’t wait until Pilar’s old enough to spend quality time with Daddy Dani while the two of us go off on holiday like the old times ;)

Marc: I’m sure Dani would only be too thrilled with that! In case you haven’t realised, I have responsibilities now. Like a baby… and a mortgage

Alex: You do not have a mortgage and neither does Dani. Is everything okay with you? Dani mentioned you were a little out of sorts the past couple of days…

_Of course he did._

Marc: You know what I mean

Marc: Yeah, I’m okay. Just had a rough couple of days but everything will be fine.

Alex: You sure? You know you can call me at any time- day or night

Fingers hovering over the key pad of his phone, Marc chewed on his lower lip in silent contemplation. He could just tell Alex. Alex wouldn’t judge him. Alex would understand more than anyone but Dani. But he still didn’t want his brother to have to keep anything from their parents. It was better this way.

Marc: Yeah, everything’s fine. Just think the past couple of weeks have caught up with me. I know <3 Same goes for you. Enjoy your holiday and be careful!

Alex: I will, mom :P

Marc: Don’t use that tone of emoji with me

*****

“Are you sure you want to go alone? Pilar will probably sleep through-“

Smiling despite the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of his stomach, Marc pressed his lips softly against his husband-to-be’s. “I’ll be fine, Dani. Since we talked I’ve been able to gain a bit of perspective, you don’t need to worry.”

Kissing the younger man back with as much force as he could muster, Dani broke away after a moment, resting his forehead against Marc’s. “I have an idea.”

“What is it?”

The corners of his mouth tugging upwards, he brushed the pad of his thumb across the other rider’s cheek. _It’s only a little bit crazy…_ “If… If it’s good news then I think we should set a date for the wedding.”

“Oh, wow.” Marc’s eyes widened in shock, but his feelings weren’t at all negative

“I know there’s absolutely no correlation between the two but I thought it might be nice to do something to celebrate, and what better way to celebrate…”

 _What better way to celebrate indeed._ “So your proposition is that if I’m not then we should get married?”

Chuckling, happy that Marc didn’t shut it down immediately, Dani shook his head. “Well you’re wearing my ring so we’re already going to get married, I think we should make it official.”

Marc grinned, pressing his lips against his fiancé’s once again but in a less wholesome way this time as his fingers played with the hair at the nape of the older man’s neck. “I think that sounds like a fantastic idea…”

*****

It was hell- nothing short of pure hell. What in reality was little under two hours felt like a lifetime. And with Pilar asleep in her cot, all there was for Dani to do was think and sometimes thinking really wasn’t the best idea. Or maybe _over_ thinking was a better description.

Either way, it wasn’t fun. He tried turning on the tv and scrolling through Twitter and Instragram but nothing could take his mind off the big pink elephant in the room. The thought that Marc could walk through that door at any minute (which was, admittedly, unlikely as he’d just left twenty minutes ago at that stage) was too much of a distraction.

Pacing was next on the to do list, making a round or two of the downstairs before coming to a halt in front of the decorative cabinet that fit snugly into a little alcove in the kitchen when something inside caught his eye. Opening the glass door as if it could break if he even used the tiniest bit of force, Dani pulled out the bulky but ornate pink and white book that had only recently been given pride of place. 

It was Pilar’s book.

Inside was almost every single photo that had been taken of her since she was born, including a couple of scans from before that, up to the most recent one that had been taken no more than five days ago. Smiling to himself, he closed the cabinet door once more and made his way back to the sitting room, resting the open book on his knees after sitting once again.

The time since Pilar had been born had almost passed in a whirlwind, but what a time it had been nonetheless. It was hard to imagine all those months ago when Marc had informed him of her existence that he was capable of feeling this much love. But yet here he was, having met the love of his life twice. Dani knew from the moment he had laid eyes on his daughter for the first time, all pink and new, that he would do everything in his power to protect her for as long as he lived.

Which is how he found himself praying not for the first time that day that this would turn out to be a false alarm. Because he knew the decision that had to be made, but he didn’t want to have to make it. He wished with every ounce of his being that it wouldn’t come to that.

It wasn’t until he heard the tell-tale sound of the front door opening that Dani realised that he’d floated off into a world of his own for god only knows how long. All he knew was that Marc had now returned, and was about give him the news that he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear.

_You’re smiling, that’s a good sign, right???_

And Marc was smiling, smiling almost like Dani had never seen him smile before. He felt hope beginning to swell in his chest, as the younger man came to stand in front of him, still not giving anything away.

“What date do you think will suit best?”

 


	84. No Such Thing As Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a little while for this one! (Thankfully not as long as usual!) I just needed to make a definite plan about how this was going to finish because it was a bit too overwhelming to write. 
> 
> The good news is that although this is coming to an end, I have already planned a replacement fic that is going to feature a lot (and I mean A LOT) of pairings. It's going to be AU so if you want to suggest any pairings (doesn't matter how random, because I'm going to need random ones for this! MotoGP/2/3 but not too young) just leave me a comment or send me an ask on tumblr (tumariposaroja.tumblr.com) and I will consider! I have some mapped out already but I pulled them out of thin air so I would rather include ones that my readers would actually like :D ♥

“Marc?”

“Hmm?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Fine.”

Feeling a weird sense of amusement mixed with something along the lines of dread, Dani arched an eyebrow. “The last time you said that didn’t end so well.”

Even Marc couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth upon hearing that. “That is completely different! I just…” shuffling in his seat to find a more comfortable position, he shrugged softly, “It is what it is. I’m going to miss her.”

 _Now how know just how much it sucks_. Reaching over to take his soon-to-be husband’s hand, Dani leaned in and pressed a kiss against the younger man’s temple. “I know. It feels wrong, doesn’t it? Like you should be there with her all the time but you can’t be. But she’s well used to your mother and she’s in very capable hands.”

“That’s the only consolation,” Marc admitted, “I trust my mother completely. Still feels awful though.”

Dani knew the feeling well, having felt it many times since Pilar had been born. That first time he had to go away to a race and leave the two of them behind, and every time after that for that matter. But there was something so upsetting about seeing Marc having to do it; the first time since her birth that he would spend a day away from her. And they would be in America for a week. “Wish I could make it better for you.”

Smiling sadly, the younger ride leaned into Dani’s side and nuzzled his neck, the scratching of stubble against his face so familiar and safe. “You can make it a little bit better by allowing me to use you as a human pillow for two to three hours…”

 _I thought that we’d established that you can have anything you want when it comes to me._ “I don’t think there’s ever been a luckier pillow than me.”

Pausing for a moment, eyes widening ever so slightly, Marc chuckled. “That was so fucking smooth, Pedrosa. Should I be worried about where you’re getting these lines?”

“Jorge… ouch! I guess I deserved that one.”

“Yeah, you _did_.”

*****

It almost felt better, stepping off the plane when they finally reached their destination. Short of heading for the departures hall and catching the next flight back to Spain, there was now nothing Marc could do. Not that he could do anything at thousands of feet in the air but the finality of arriving in a country that was thousands of miles away hammered the reality of the situation home that little bit more.

“Could I possibly persuade you to leave Romeo’s side until we get back to the hotel?” Emilio asked his rider when the baggage carousel finally began to move after about fifteen minutes of waiting and an even longer trek through the airport. His tone was light and playful but it did not hide the fact that he obviously needed to have a serious conversation with his rider.

Sensing this, Marc didn’t put up a fight. He knew that a conversation like this was always going to have to happen and, in fact, welcomed it. “Of course. I’ll see you in a while?” he turned to his fiancé, who had just snatched his bag off the belt. It felt strange, how much easier it was to travel without a baby. He and Dani could just split up without having to have a long discussion about logistics and what not. He’d almost forgotten what that was like.

Making a mental note to thank Emilio for what he was inevitably going to do, Dani gave the younger man a smile and a kiss before pulling up the handle on his suitcase, Alberto already waiting off to the side a bit. “See you in a little while.”

Giving one last wave, Marc watched as Dani walked away, feeling weirdly as if something was missing. It was almost reminiscent of making the same journey the previous year, with obvious differences of course.

“How are you feeling?”

Giving a little shrug, the reigning world champion moved closer to the belt when he saw his luggage appear. “I’m okay. Feels a little better now that there’s no turning back.”

Moving to reclaim his own bag, Emilio didn’t say much in reply to that. It was a conversation that, although he needed to have it, a busy American airport wasn’t exactly the most appropriate place. “Which way to the cars?”

Arching an eyebrow, the question seriously deviating from precedent, Marc chuckled in surprise. “I thought you made a point of never asking me for directions after that time in Indonesia?”

Emilio shuddered at the memory. “Just checking to see if your navigation skills have improved at all.”

“They’ve improved plenty. I’ve learned my lesson after that time…”

 _I really hope so._ “Well then, lead the way.”

 

They did, in fact, make it to where the vans were waiting to take them to the hotel in a timely manner and with very little bickering as to what way they should have been going. Smug smile on his face, Marc folded his arms across his chest once they were inside and had fastened their seatbelts. “Impressed?”

 _Immensely._ “You managed to find your way through a _sign posted_ airport… impressed doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

Sticking his tongue out momentarily, Marc couldn’t help but smile when he saw the look of pride on his manager’s face that obviously had little to do with directions. “You wanted to talk?”

“Yeah, I did, “ the older man decided that he might as well just cut to the chase, “We need to make sure your head is sorted out before you get on that bike, don’t you think?”

 _Yes_. Marc sighed. “I know. I’m trying my best to get into that ‘nothing matters but racing’ space. It’s hard, especially when Dani’s right there beside me the whole time- a living, breathing reminder of her.”

“She’s your daughter, no one is asking you to forget about her. I’m just saying that focusing completely on your racing is a good way to distract yourself for a little while. Make it your strength, not your weakness.”

He understood what Emilio was saying, he really did. And Marc also knew that there was no one else who got him when it came to racing like Emilio did. So much so that he let himself wonder every now and then how his life would have turned out if it weren’t for the former world champion, who saw something in him that he obviously liked and was willing to take a chance on that kid from a small Catalunyan town that very few had even heard of.

“I’m going to do it,” Marc suddenly said, surprising even himself a little bit at the sheer determination in his voice, “I’m going to get my first win back here.”

 _That’s my boy._ Corner of his mouth tugging upwards, Emilio gave a little shrug. “It’s there for the taking.”

*****

Hearing the knock on the door, Marc looked hopefully to his husband-to-be before groaning when Dani showed absolutely no signs of moving from his obviously equally comfortable position sprawling out on the bed. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s most likely one of yours anyway.”

That was undeniably true. Dani’s father and brother were back in Spain and it had been a _long_ time since Alberto had last stopped by his rider’s room for a chat. Hauling himself up from on top of the covers, too hot to get beneath despite the air conditioning that was allegedly circulating cold air, Marc padded across the carpeted floor to the door, dramatically opening it and finding (to absolutely no one’s surprise) Alex standing there.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” the older of the two replied, merely holding the door open wider to allow him in instead of saying it in so many words. Dani had joked on more than one occasion that they should just have the hotels given them three keys and be done with it, an offer that Alex politely declined.

“Umm…” the Moto3 rider side-eyed the television, eyebrows raising as he looked between the two others.

“Be quiet,” Dani playfully told him, “it was the only thing on.”

“Oh really?” Marc mischievously quirked an eyebrow, “Is that why I heard you doing a little celebration while I was in the shower because Bridget Jones was on?”

“You’re a fucking traitor, you know that?” the oldest of the three pouted, throwing a pillow at his fiancé that was easily sidestepped, “Why am I marrying you again?”

“Next you’ll be suggesting that we have a turkey curry buffet for the wedding reception.”

“Might be worth thinking about if it gets me a brooding human rights barrister.”

Utterly perplexed, Alex frowned as he threw himself down into the very uncomfortable faux leather chair that accompanied the obligatory small round wooden tables in hotel rooms. “Is there something I missed?”

 _Uh, kinda?_ “Well you might want to make sure you’re available on the 6th of December. It would be a bit awkward if my own brother was too busy to attend my wedding…”

“What?? You set a date?”

Giggling as he threw himself down on the bed once again, Marc exchanged a brief look with Dani.

“We were planning on telling you after the weekend but not is probably as good a time as any.”

 _Oh god…_ “I’m really happy for you but maybe you should hold off on telling mama for a _little_ while longer? I’m not ready for her to go into full on wedding planning mode just yet.”

“Pff! I am,” Marc countered, “I probably won’t have to arrange a thing, it will be great.”

Wondering if Marc could actually hear himself sometimes, Dani crossed his arms. “Romantic as always.”

 _Oops_. “Oh come on, you know I’m counting down the days until I get to marry you. But I really couldn’t care less about flower arrangements or plate patterns.”

“Okay… you’ve got a point there.”

“Well, congrats,” Alex beamed, “I would have the hotel send up a bottle of champagne to celebrate but seeing as practice is tomorrow I don’t think that’s a good idea. Maybe Sunday?”

Grinning wickedly, Marc shrugged. “I think some cava would do just fine…”

*****

_“I can safely say that no one will be surprised by the outcome of that qualifying session. Marc Marquez is a man on a mission this weekend topping all but the second practice session. Even then he just lost out to Lorenzo by a fraction of a second.”_

_“It looked like he was going to miss out of pole though! But he managed to snatch it in a very Marquez way from his team mate in the dying seconds of the session.”_

_“No, won’t thank him too much for that, will he Pedrosa? I tell you what, we’re in for a cracker of a race tomorrow. Will it be Marquez, who has a pretty decent record around here and is just now returning to his old winning ways? Will it be Pedrosa, current championship leader and favourite to take the title? Or will it be Lorenzo, looking to narrow that 35 point gap to Pedrosa?”_

_“I suppose we’ll have to wait and see!”_

_“We most certainly will.”_

*****

Hardly able to watch as the three riders took the last corner onto the home straight, Emilio’s hand clenched so tightly around the bar that it was very likely that he could have done serious damage to it. But that didn’t matter in the slightest at that moment. It was almost like Valencia 2013 all over again, knowing what is likely to happen but still sickeningly nervous that something is going to go wrong at the last minute. In the world of motorcycle racing you learned very quickly not to count your chickens until they hatched.

Santi, who stood beside him- appearing to be making an action that resembled blessing himself ever couple of seconds- didn’t make his anxiety any better. Throw in one brother/ Moto3 rider and it was a match made in hell when it came to watching races, especially when their rider was on the cusp of victory.

“Come on… come on…”

The checkered flag was out and three bikes were zooming towards it, two closer than the third, like it would disappear if they didn’t get there on time. They flew past the pit wall where the Repsol crowd had congregated in a blur of orange and blue, and soon it was over. Two riders showed their frustration, one celebrated.

Thankfully for the crowd it question, it just so happened to be the right one.

*****

“Marc, congratulations on the win. I doubt there’s anyone that could say that it wasn’t deserved. How did it feel to be back on the top step again?”

“Yeah, it felt really, really good. More than really good. You always have to believe in yourself but there is always that doubt that it might not happen. Of course I have been on the podium in some races since I came back but I was really nervous about the win. Thankfully, it has come now so hopefully I can replicate this in some more races before the end of the season.”

“And now the time comes for you to chase down these two sitting beside you?”

Catching Dani’s amused smile and Jorge’s unimpressed raised eyebrow, Marc chuckled. “Exactly. I really needed this win. This weekend was difficult but this win gives me faith that even when it does get hard that I’m still living my dream, which is to win MotoGP races. I plan to continue doing that for as long as I can.”

“Well we wish you luck with that. Moving on now to second place… Dani, you were _so_ close.”

“I was. But I would like to thank Marc and Jorge for a really enjoyable race. It was tough and there was lots of overtaking but it was hard, clean racing which is what we always want, no? The main thing for me is that this second place extends my lead in the championship which is my priority at this stage of the season.”

“What do you think of this guy getting back on the top step again?”

Marc looked at him expectantly and Dani couldn’t help but laugh. “I wish it was me instead! No, but seriously; I’m very happy to see Marc win again because he deserves it completely. I’ve seen every day how difficult it has been for him to get back up to speed with the bike and with the championship at this stage of the season and I’m very proud of him. Hopefully in Silverstone the results will be reversed though!”

“Well, I’ll let you fight about that amongst yourselves. Moving onto Jorge…”

 


	85. Hard to Say I'm Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title applies to me too right now... ;) Enjoy

**Monday, Silverstone**

**Oops I did it again: Major trouble in paradise for Marquez and Pedrosa**

**The end is nigh: Divided Repsol garage on the cards?**

Feeling a stress headache coming on, Emilio tossed the newspapers down on the table with a grimace, catching Santi’s eye as the crew chief looked up from his phone, the results of some very brief online searches obviously just as bad.

“It’s being blown completely out of proportion…”

 _Is it? Is it really?_ Entirely unconvinced, Marc’s manager sank wearily down into the hugely uncomfortable motorhome couch. Was summer break really just over? Because Emilio felt like he needed another three week long holiday.

“Then why do we have two riders-slash-future-husbands that are refusing to come within twenty feet of each other?”

Letting out the breath he’d been holding with a soft ‘whoosh’, Santi folded his hands behind his head. “They’ll cool off. It’s been less than twenty four hours.”

“Only just. I hope for everyone’s sake that they do because I do not want to be in the middle of a fight over who’s going to take the child home with them…”

 _Christ._ “It’s not going to come to that.” Or at least he prayed it wouldn’t.

 _I hope you’re right._ “Two teammates as lovers is great when it’s going good but when something like this happens…”

“It’s catastrophic.”

*****

**Silverstone, Sunday**

Chuckling at the dismay of their teams, Marc dragged Dani out the back of the garage, ignoring the protests that there was no time and they needed to get out on track. It wasn’t like they weren’t just going to be sitting there for like ten minutes anyway, huddled under umbrellas in the light mist.

“Why do they even bother at this stage?” Marc wondered, rhetorically, before stealing a kiss from the other man. “For good luck,” he clarified after pulling away again, seeing the look of amusement that had taken over Dani’s face.

“Good, because you have a lot of that to spare. Might as well give some to those of us who are cursed.”

“Pff! You’re marrying me, how could you possibly be cursed?”

Shaking his head, Dani contemplated that for a moment. “You again. See? I told you, you get all the luck.”

Leaning in for another quick peck, Marc let out a little ‘oof!’ when it appeared that Dani had other ideas, pulling him flush against his chest with a little more force than was probably necessary. The younger man definitely wasn’t going to complain _too much_ about it, however.

They kissed for a moment, bordering just a little inappropriate given the time, place and the fact that their teams were not-so-patiently awaiting their return so that they could actually do their jobs. But a minute or two longer would never hurt anyone…

“Um,” tapping Dani’s chest as he pulled away again, a lot more work this time, Marc grinned, “Save some of that for after the race. I’m thinking win-podium celebrations in my motorhome.”

 _You say that as if I wouldn’t have been there anyway._ “Sounds like a plan.”

*****

_“Now as they come into Stowe, Pedrosa decides that it’s about time to try a move on Marquez-“_

_“Obviously not the first time he’s done that!”_

_“Indeed! And- OH! He’s taken him down! Dani Pedrosa has taken teammate and fiancé, Marc Marquez, down in an attempt to pull off an overtake on the corner exit! I do_ not _believe it!”_

 _“_ What _was Pedrosa thinking?!”_

_“This is nothing short of a disaster! For no one more so than Pedrosa- leading the championship with thirty five points over second place Jorge Lorenzo… If he doesn’t manage to restart and finish in the points- assuming he’s not hit with a penalty for that move- and Lorenzo wins this race… that’s the championship lead cut to a mere ten points with six races still to go.”_

_“They’re absolutely shell-shocked in the Repsol Honda garage. No one can believe that this has happened. None of the usual animated reactions from Marquez’ side. This… this is a unique situation.”_

_“Indeed it is. Both riders are finally back on their feet, neither able to restart, and I tell you: it is not a pleasant sight…”_

*****

It took Marc a minute to realise what was happening. One second he was exiting the corner as he usually would any other lap and the next… the next he was sliding into the gravel, trying with all his might to hold onto the bike- and the clutch- as it began to tumble. Eventually proving to be more dangerous than it was worth, he let go, continuing to slide for what seemed like a lifetime before the momentum faded and he was left lying on his front, almost with a mouthful of gravel.

The shock soon wore off enough to fully grasp what had happened: he’d been taken out.

Blood beginning to bubble as it always did in such a situation, Marc ignored the hand that was offered to him by one of the stewards, enough adrenaline running through his veins to render it unnecessary. Keen to give whoever hit him a piece of his mind, the reigning world champion almost stopped dead when he turned to face the other rider and remembered who had been behind him…

*****

Catching Eric’s eye from across the garage, both suddenly an awful lot paler, Alex swallowed hard, the mood in the garage suddenly at floor level. No one could think to say anything, to react. Even his father and Emilio, who always had something to say when Marc went down in any way, shape or form. This was so unbelievably different to all those other times… This was potentially catastrophic for all involved.

Emilio and Puig were first to make a move, both exchanging a look that clearly said they were most likely going to be needed there to keep the situation as under control as was humanly possible, neither knowing what exactly that would mean.

****

“ _What the actual fuck_?!”

Flipping up the visor of his helmet, Marc wasted no time in charging forward in the direction of Dani who was now also on his feet, equally annoyed if his body language was anything to go by. The marshals remained a foot or two away, obviously unsure of whether or not this was something that they should even contemplate getting involved in. A domestic wasn’t exactly on the list of potential trackside emergencies when they were doing their training…

“ _Excuse me_? You’re the one who changed lines mid corner!”

“ME? Are you fucking insane! You might want to go to the clinica and get your fucking head checked! _You_ hit _me_. I was ahead!”

*****

Swallowing his mouthful of water, celebrations finally cooling a little bit, Jorge frowned, turning to his team boss. “What happened to Marquez and Pedrosa?” The absence of both Repsol Honda’s from parc ferme was unusual to the point of being worrying these days, Dani and Marc obviously taking it in turns to be a thorn in his side. Sometimes simultaneously.

Eyes widening, Lin shook his head, unable to put into words how relieved he was that he wasn’t Livio Suppo right then. “They took each other out.”

“They _what_?”

“It’s a shitstorm down there at the moment. Nearly turned into a brawl at the side of the track. The marshals didn’t know what hit them.”

 _Oh Christ…_ Jorge shook his head, pouring some water over his face to rid himself of some of the perspiration. “Marquez?”

 _You would think_. “Actually, looks like it was Pedrosa. Couldn’t have worked out better for you if they set out to sabotage themselves.”

Of course, it was good for him. Having the lead Dani had over him in the championship cut to ten points was something to be delighted about. But this… this was not something he wanted to see happen, no matter who the riders were. “Taking out your teammate is one thing- taking out you teammate _and_ fiancé is something else entirely.”

“You’re probably going to be asked about it in the press conference,” Lin informed him, hoping the warning was implicit.

Despite knowing that it was inevitable, Jorge huffed. “I don’t know why they ask me. I was busy winning the race when all of this was happening. I didn’t see it, what can I say about it?”

Understanding his rider’s frustration, Lin shrugged. “Just that.”

*****

“Can you fucking _believe_ he did that?” Marc continued to fume, even after being whisked away on a scooter by Emilio, his manager practically having to drag him out of the gravel trap and away from his teammate. “I could have won!”

 _You’re in for a rude awakening if you think the race result is your biggest problem at the moment._ At a complete loss for once, Emilio sighed wearily. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.”

“You’re supposed to say he fucking took me out!”

 _That may be true but…_ “This isn’t an incident with Jorge or Vale or anyone else, Marc. He’s the father of your child.”

In reply to that he merely received a frustrated huff, all that was needed to confirm that he was in for a difficult day… or week.

*****

“Absolutely not,” Dani informed his boss through gritted teeth, “Do you understand that this could have  me my championship? Now I have Jorge-fucking-Lorenzo breathing down my throat again.”

 _Yeah, well you should have thought of that before you threw your bike into that corner._ That was what Livio was thinking; of course, for diplomacy’s sake, that wasn’t something he could just _say_.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Nakamoto exchanged a very weary look with his colleague. “Dani, apologising to him is the only thing that’s going to make this situation better. You’re not being practical.”

“It’s not us that have to go home to him…”

  _And isn’t that going to be fun._ “I’m not going to apologise to him. Not now anyway. But I will think about it.”

Short of grabbing an arm each and dragging the more seasoned of their two riders down the steps of his motorhome and into Marc’s, the Honda duo knew there was nothing more they could do. They could berate Dani all they wanted but until he was actually ready to admit that he was at least in some way blameworthy in this then there was absolutely no point.

*****

Rubbing salt into their wounds by reviewing the footage again and again, trying to ensure that they could say for one hundred percent certain that the incident was not their rider’s fault, Santi and Emilio both let out a groan. There it was, that little bit of evidence they were both counting on not being there to find.

“He saw him coming. He _knew_ that Dani was going to try something and he still went off line.”

“Dani still shouldn’t have tried it. It was too risky,” Emilio tried to argue, only half believing his own words.

“Dani shouldn’t have tried it, Marc shouldn’t have reacted the way he did. They’re both to blame, Emilio.”

“I know. It just would have been so much easier. Now we have to try to get two stubborn ass men to admit that they both had a part to play in this instead of pointing the finger. Why can’t they all be like Alex?”

*****

Vale: Is everything okay? 

Vale: Sorry, that was a stupid question...

Alex: No, I understand what you mean. And the answer is no. Everything's fucked 

Vale: But they'll get over it soon. They're the ones that have all their shit sorted and take pleasure in the fact that the rest of us are still trying to figure out what the fuck we're doing

Alex: I don't think it's that easy this time... 

 

*****

_“Oh dear… looks like things really are as bad as we expected in the Honda camp. A statement has just been issued informing the media that there will be no interviews given by either rider until the matter has been resolved internally.”_

_“I don’t think there’s any surprise there. It’s one thing when a rider is involved in an incident with a rider from another team… Honda will not want either Pedrosa or Marquez to go out and start flinging it at each other.”_

_“To be perfectly honest, I think it has to be just a precaution, doesn’t it? Anyone who sees them on a regular basis knows that they’re crazy about each other. And you would hope for the sake of their daughter that they will resolve it all as soon as possible.”_

_“All I can say is I’m very glad not wearing orange and white…”_

*****

Official Statement: After speaking with both riders, Race Direction deems the collision between no. 93, Marc Marquez, and no. 26, Dani Pedrosa, to be a racing incident. No further action will be taken.

*****

“Are you _kidding_ me?! A _racing incident?_ ”

“Marc-“

“Don’t _Marc_ me, Emilio! You know this is complete bullshit! He _wiped me out_.”

“Marc, calm down,” Julia begged, despite knowing it would fall on deaf ears. His son needed to just lock himself in his motorhome and blow off some steam. That would be the only way he would listen to anything they had to say.

Just opening his mouth to say as much, Julia found that it was too late anyway: his eldest stormed out of the room, door almost coming off the hinges as he slammed it behind him.

“Anyone fancy a whiskey?” Was the alternative.

“I’ll have two please, one for each hand.”

*****

Marc: I’ve decided I’m going to go home to Cervera for a while.

Dani: How long is a while?

Marc: I don’t know. I’ll get Alex to bring Pilar over to yours until we leave

Dani: Don’t do this. It’s just racing

Marc: That doesn’t change anything. And that’s not how you felt when we were screaming at each other in front of Mike Webb

Dani: Can’t we just admit that we were both wrong and be done with it? I don’t want the two of you to be in Barcelona when I’m in Geneva.  

Marc: I need time

Dani: Fine. Then let me take Pilar home

Marc: You know I can’t do that

Dani: I’m her father. And you’re the one that’s running away

Marc: Our flight’s at 10


	86. Naivety's Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I wouldn't say that you were ruthless or right..._   
>  _I couldn't see from so far._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took a bit! I've been meaning to post for over a day but my internet is absolutely shocking (and by that I mean it doesn't work 96% of the time -_-).  
> I'm sorry for this chapter too. This has become painful to write and I can only apologise for the absolute rubbish I'm giving you. I'll try to wrap it up as soon as possible so I can put it out of its misery. And yours. ♥

Returning to the sitting room after saying goodnight to Marc, Roser exchanged a worried look with her husband, who had switched off the television since she’d left, obviously ready for this conversation. “It’s been three days…”

“I know. I honestly thought it would only take him an hour or two after getting back here to realise that the whole thing was idiotic. What are we going to do? I can’t even imagine what these couple of days have been like for Dani.”

Letting out a sigh of desperation, Roser sat down on the two-seater adjacent to her husband. “I just don’t understand. With all the incidents on track that Marc has been the cause of in the past, you would think he’d understand that sometimes these things happen. What happened to ‘what happens on track, stays on track’?”

Julia nodded. “Right. It doesn’t make sense to me either. Especially since Dani is the one who came off the worst.”

“I have a theory but I really hope I’m wrong…”

 _Oh god_. “What is it?” Julia tentatively asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Biting down on her lip, Roser hesitated for a moment. “What if he’s using it as an excuse?”

“An excuse? To get away from Dani?” Surely not.

“Maybe he sees it as a way out?”

“A way out?” her husband chuckled humourlessly, “Bit late for that now since they have a child together. I don’t think Marc actually wants to _leave_ him.”

“I hope not. And not just for Pilar’s sake. They work so well together…”

“They’ve set a date for the wedding, maybe Marc’s just getting cold feet and needs a little time to himself to get used to it all?”

“That’s a possibility. I think we just need to get him to talk to us, tell us what’s going on in his head.”

Scoffing at that, Julia arched an eyebrow. “He hasn’t wanted to let us in up until now, not even Alex. What makes you think that’s going to change?”

That was undeniably true. But Alex had become the link between Dani and Pilar, so the fact that Marc wouldn’t open up to his brother might have been more out of self-preservation than anything. “We’ll just have to get creative then.”

*****

“Pilar,” Alex drawled, in that voice that was solely reserved for his goddaughter, “Wave to your daddy!” One arm wrapped around her small body, he used the other to gently move her hand in the direction of the camera, trying to ignore that pang in the pit of his stomach at how happy Dani looked to see his daughter. Even through a computer screen.

“Hi baby,” the MotoGP rider waved back, “I miss you.”

Pilar’s big chocolate coloured eyes (the image of Marc’s) widened at what she saw on the screen, reaching out with her little hand as if to see if her father was actually there. As always, she was disappointed. “She misses you too. But hopefully that won’t be for much longer.”

“Has he said anything?” Dani’s eyes widened suddenly and Alex feel like such an asshole for putting it like that, giving the other man false hope.

“Not yet, but we’re working on it.”

Shaking his head, Dani let out a weary sigh. “I can’t believe it’s come to this. It was one stupid mistake- on track. It’s not like I cheated on him.”

 _Neither can I_. “You know how stubborn it is. All we have to do is wait until he starts to see for himself how much of an idiot he’s being. Then everything will be fine again.”

He hoped to god that was true, not sure how much more of this he could take. “How’s she been sleeping?”

*****

Huffing in annoyance as he had to run down the stairs to get the door, no one else home, Marc was surprised (and probably shouldn’t have been) to look through the peep-hole and see his manager standing on their doorstep. Opening it, Marc frowned at the look of confusion on the other man’s face. “Emilio.”

“Marc… I didn’t think you’d be here.”

Inviting the older man in, Marc arched an eyebrow. “Where did you think I would be?”

“I assumed you would have gone back to Geneva already.”

“Well I haven’t.”

Just a little bit amused by how prickly his rider had suddenly become, Emilio led the way into the kitchen while Marc shut the door, knowing the Marquez house almost as well as he knew his own. “I was just passing by and I thought I’d drop this in for Alex,” he held up a chunky envelope with Monlau branding and Marc knew from receiving quite a number of them himself that it was probably a sponsorship deal or something equally boring.

“Well Alex isn’t here but I can give it to him when he gets back. Tea, coffee?”

“Coffee please.” While Marc was filling the kettle, after a little hesitation Emilio decided to go _there_. “So when are you planning on heading back?”

“I don’t know,” Marc replied, after hesitating for a moment, through clenched teeth. Taking more time than was necessary to take two cups down from the press, he eventually turned around and set them down on the counter, knot that had been present in the pit of his stomach ever since the incident tightening even more when he saw the sympathetic look on his manager’s face.

“You know you can talk to me right? I want what’s best for you, not anyone else. I won’t judge you. I know it must feel like the others are trying to get you to make the decision that they want.” The younger man hesitated once more and Emilio could tell that he really needed to talk to someone. “I’ll make the coffee, you sit…”

*****

“Do you want to leave Dani? I know it may be hard, since you have Pilar and you’re supposed to be getting married, but if you’re not happy-“

“No!” Marc replied, horrified that he would even think that, “I don’t want to leave Dani.”

 _You’re saying that as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. But from where I’m standing…_ “Okay,” the manager held up his hands, “But you can forgive people for assuming that that’s where this is going. I mean, you’re here in Barcelona while Dani’s in Geneva. And you took Pilar with you, it’s kinda natural to draw negative inferences.”

“I love Dani,” Marc reiterated, at least having the decency to look a little bit ashamed, “I do not plan on breaking up with him.”

“Then why put so much distance between the two of you? I know you’re angry about the collision-“

“I’m not angry about the collision.”

 _O-kay…_ Just when he thought he had his rider figured out… Perplexed, Emilio placed his cup firmly down on the countertop. “You’re not?”

“It’s… it’s not about what Dani did, it’s about what _I_ did.”

Now sitting up completely straight, Emilio got a sinking feeling in his stomach. “Marc, what did you do?” Nothing. “Marc…”

“I saw him. I saw him trying to make the overtake and I went off line to try to stop him. I could have cost him the championship because I wanted to win.”

“Then why are you punishing him by being all the way up in Barcelona with his child?”

Chewing down hard on his lip, Marc shook his head, realising now that he had been a complete asshole to the man that he would promise to spend the rest of his life with. “I’m not punishing him… I- I just couldn’t face looking him in the eye when I could be the reason he doesn’t get what he’s been working for all his life. All because I was too selfish to just let him pass.”

“Okay, I’m confused. You’re the one who made the big song and dance about race direction ruling it a racing incident.”

 _Since we’re being truthful…_ “I’m an awful person but I thought that if Race Direction decided it was Dani’s fault then I wouldn’t feel as guilty. Because right now it’s killing me.”

Resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh, realising he should have had this conversation a lot sooner, Emilio decided he had to just level with his rider. “Riders made mistakes, that’s racing. It happens. And, you know what?  If you told Dani what you’ve just told me I can one hundred percent tell you that he would care more about having you and his child at home with him rather than being alone and thinking he’s lost you- both of you- forever. Okay, you shouldn’t have moved off line but he shouldn’t have tried the move in the first place. You’re both to blame.”

 _I’m an idiot, I know._ “So what now? I just go home and pretend like nothing ever happened?”

“No, you go home and tell Dani what you’ve just told me. You tell him you’re sorry. You make up and then everyone’s happy.”

“It can’t be that easy…”

 _Do I have to forcibly remove you from the country?_ “Marc?”

“Hmm?”

“Get your shit together and go.”

*****

Returning to the house after their afternoon outing, Roser, Julia and Alex were all surprised to find a suitcase and Pilar’s bag next to the front door. Hopeful but not daring to take it as a definite sign of anything, they proceeded to the kitchen, their eldest child nowhere to be found.

“Marc?”

A minute or two later the reigning world champion appeared in the doorway, his daughter on his hip, looking very much like a man on a mission. “Hey.”

 _So…_ “You going somewhere?” Julia asked, trying to be as casual as possible for fear of his son changing his mind again.

Marc bit down on his lip before nodding. “Uh, yeah. I’m going back to Geneva. Our flight is at eight.”

 _Thank the lord!_ “Cool, I’ll drive,” Alex smiled, deciding that he would be willing to physically herd his brother onto the plane if he even thought about changing his mind.

“What changed your mind?”

“I just had a conversation with Emilio and I realised that here wasn’t the best place for me to be. Sorry for leaving so soon-“

 _No, NO._ Tutting, Roser gave her eldest a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry about us, we’re just happy that you’re happy to go back to Geneva. We were worried…”

Understanding the hell he must have put his family through, Marc nodded. “I know. And thanks for putting up with me while I sulked.”

“Feel free to sulk all you want,” his father chuckled, “just make sure you go home to your fiancé when you’re finished.”

“Trust me, I know that now.” _And I just hope that Dani isn’t so upset that he sends me packing again. But that’s a problem for later on._ “Alex, Emilio dropped this in for you.”

Reaching out to take the envelope that was outstretched to him, Alex eyed it in confusion for a moment before it all started to make sense. He coughed ever so slightly and nodded. “Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that. Thanks.”

*****

Dinner eaten and everything pretty much ready to go, Marc did one last sweep of the downstairs to make sure that none of Pilar’s essentials were left behind while everyone else packed the car. Just as he was about to leave the kitchen something caught his eye, making him hesitate in the door way before his curiosity got the better of him and he snuck back in to just have a little look…

Picking up the envelope from the counter, he was relieved to find that it had been opened already, carefully unsticking the tab so that he could quickly slide out the bulk of papers inside. Brow furrowing, Marc eyed the sheets of paper in confusion, flicking though each one to see if there was something he was missing. There wasn’t.

“What the...” He tried to think of an explanation but he failed to think of any scenario that would warrant Emilio giving his rider an envelope full of blank paper. Was it a mistake? Did the printer fail?

The more he thought about, the less of a coincidence the whole thing seemed. The cogs started to turn in his mind and, soon, the whole thing may all the sense in the world. Corner of his mouth tugging upwards, Marc chuckled as he shook his head to himself.

He really shouldn’t have been surprised.

*****

Marc: Hi… I’m sorry about the past couple of days. I shouldn’t have just gone away like that. It wasn’t fair. I’ve booked a flight to Geneva for both of us tonight and I just want to know if it’s okay to come home?

Marc: Well, for ME to come home…

Dani: What time is the flight in?

Marc: At around 10

Dani: I’ll see you then


	87. Swear it Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I've been finding this very difficult to finish for whatever reason but I've been inspired by the workrate of Lyra (read: put to shame ;)) so here you go! Enjoy and thank you so much for all the comments and kudos! 1,000 comments... wow! Insane! ♥

Dani knew he was attracting attention. And, to be fair, there wasn’t exactly much he could do about that. It seemed like the whole of Europe now had a vested interest in his personal life, especially after… well.

A potentially (definitely) bad mixture of sleep deprivation and too much Red Bull, he rubbed at his tired and bleary eyes, as his heart thudded surprisingly consistently in his chest. _Probably shouldn’t have had that second Red Bull then… Might have to stop off at the hospital on the way home, but it’s all good…_

Glancing at the digital clock above the arrivals board once again, Dani had to fight hard to resist the urge to tap his foot impatiently. That little yellow ‘landed’ beside Marc’s flight number had been tormenting him for the better part of fifteen minutes, teasing him as he waited impatiently for the arrival of his fiancé (hopefully that was still the right noun). The doubt that Marc would not show that had niggled away at him since he’d gotten that text a couple of hours earlier had gradually faded until he was about 98 percent sure that he wouldn’t be disappointed.

What would be awaiting him when those sliding doors finally opened, however, was another story altogether.

People continued to stare, he continued to wait. The seconds ticked by. 1… 15… 49… a minute.

_Calm down. This is Marc._

_But is this_ your _Marc?_

_Of course it is, there’s only one._

_But he never left you like that before._

_He did once…_

_And look how that turned out. Look what that’s gotten me._

 

*****

_Just a couple more steps…_

Marc only looked up at the last second, the family in front of him veering off to the left after passing through the frosted automatic doors, leaving him face to face once again with the older man.

He would swear that Dani looked genuinely surprised to see him, as if he wasn’t actually going to show up at all. Marc kicked himself for being the reason that thought could ever possibly cross his fiancé’s mind. But it wasn’t as if Dani could actually be blamed after the way he’d behaved.

It took him a moment to realise he’d faltered a bit, long enough to be an annoyance to whomever was walking behind him. Something inside of him told him he shouldn’t have been so nervous; this was Dani after all. Dani who loved him. Dani who could have had his championship chances ruined by Marc’s own greed-

He instantly banished that thought. It hadn’t gotten him anywhere thus far. There was no point in falling behind, he needed to move forward. And forward it was; travelling equal distances so that they were face to face, Marc swallowed hard as he was met with an (undeserving) smile from the older man, suddenly conscious of all the eyes on them.

Dani seemed to observe him carefully for a moment, as if trying to ascertain something that Marc wasn’t quite sure of before he took that final step, catching Marc by surprise when their lips finally met. The kiss was quick and purposive, but not to such an extent that screamed ‘we are only tolerating each other for the audience’. At that moment in time, it was more than good enough for Marc.

“Good trip?”

That question was, however, undoubtedly for those around them, all but causing the younger man’s stomach to plummet as the worry and doubt began to creep in once again. _We’re not okay and we both know that. At least not yet._ “Yeah, missed home though.”

If Dani was in any way impressed by that, he didn’t show it. Instead, he merely turned his attention to their daughter, occupying her seat on the luggage trolley, only looking back to his other half for a moment to arch an eyebrow in silent question.

It made Marc feel sick that it was even deemed to be necessary, and he wanted to chastise his other half for being so stupid to think he could stoop that low. Then again, it wasn’t as if it had come completely out of the blue…

Instead, he opted for a simple ‘of course’, unable to keep from smiling when he saw the other man’s face light up as he freed Pilar from her restraints, holding her almost like in that scene from the Lion King before placing an exaggerated kiss against her forehead. Pilar let out a squeak as her father cuddled her against his chest, the mixture of love and relief in Dani’s eyes enough to make sure that Marc knew that he was a horrible person.

“How’s my little girl? Daddy is so glad to see you, isn’t her?” Placing another kiss against her head, Dani turned to look at his fiancé once again, looking as if his guard was down for the first time since they’d reunited.

“Come on, let’s go home.”

*****

Marc sat, almost awkwardly and in silence, on the edge of the couch while Dani went upstairs to put down their daughter after what had ended up being a very long day for her. Being back in their house felt like being home, but he almost felt as if he didn’t deserve to be there. Things had been alright since they’d returned from the airport, although both knew what was coming. To be perfectly honest, Marc wanted to run before they had the chance to have _that_ conversation- but he had to, and would, stay; especially when this had been all his fault in the first place.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long until he could hear footsteps on the stairs, heart beginning to hammer as he got closer and closer until Marc could almost feel the older man’s presence behind the couch, relieved when after a moment of hesitation, Dani moved around so that they were facing each other once again.

“So… I guess we need to talk.”

“Yeah, I guess we do…”

“I think,” deep breath, “I think, first of all, I need to tell you that I’m really happy to have you home. And I’m not saying that for anyone else’s benefit.”

 _That’s something._ “But…”

 _Yeah_. Nodding, Dani let out a whoosh of air. “ _But_ , what you did… Marc, it really hurt.”

Expecting that much, not even going to begin to deny what he’d done, Marc nodded. “I’m so so sorry, Dani. I know it may not sound like much but I promise it’s true. I understand how completely selfish it was to run away like that and I’m so sorry that I hurt you.”

“I had a shit day, Marc,” For once in his life, Dani decided to just completely go for it, to lay everything out so there was absolutely no margin for misinterpretation of how he was feeling, “We collided, okay. It shouldn’t have happened but it did. But then… but then you completely blew me off. _And_ you took our daughter away from me. Not just for the night, but for _days_. Do you know how absolutely devastating it is to have to talk to your baby through a computer screen, all the while not knowing when you’re going to get to see her in person again. Wondering if your marriage and family is over before it even begins-“

“Dani, I wasn’t going to leave you. I’ll _never_ leave you. I just needed some space-“

“From where I was standing, I couldn’t tell the difference. And that’s the truth. You wouldn’t even respond to my messages, it was hardly going to instil confidence that you still wanted to marry me.”

Stomach clenching, Marc tried his best to keep his breathing even, his throat suddenly feeling a lot more constricted. “The wedding… do you want to postpone it?”

 _Jesus fucking Christ._ “I want to marry you, you fucking idiot! I’d marry you tomorrow- right now, if I could. It’s you that has the problem, not me. I just want to know what you were thinking. None of this would be so bad if you just let me in.”

Marc really didn’t want to play the age card as an excuse, but the truth was that was a major part. He didn’t have the experience- life and relationship- that Dani had. He’d never been in love with someone like he was in love with Dani. And, sure, that most likely was true for the other man as well but Dani had seven years on him. Seven years’ worth of experience that Marc definitely did not have. “I couldn’t look at you.” Seeing that his fiancé was about to say something, he decided that he needed to quickly continue, before feelings really began to get hurt. “And, before you say anything, it wasn’t because I thought you were to blame for the crash. It was because I thought _I_ was to blame for it. And I couldn’t look at you because I know how much winning this championship means to you. You truly deserve it more than anyone after all the shit luck you’ve had over the years and if you lost it because of me…”

And suddenly everything made so much more sense. “You made all that fuss because you felt guilty.”

“Yeah, I did. I’m so sorry- I know it was incredibly immature-“

“Marc, what do you think I value more? My family or a title? Of course, I really want to win this title but do you think if doing so meant losing you that I wouldn’t pick my family? I hope to god it won’t happen again, but if it did I’d rather have you by my side, no matter whose fault it is.”

“You say that now but, Dani, it’s not that simple. Tell me that if I had admitted it was my fault there and then that it wouldn’t have turned into an even bigger fight.”

“It wasn’t your fault! It was _both_ of us. You think I don’t know that I’m not entirely faultless in this? We’re racers, it’s in our nature to watch out for ourselves and it’s _definitely_ in our nature to get defensive when someone accuses us of doing something wrong. I wasn’t seeing my team mate and man I love trying to cover himself. You know what I was seeing? You really want to know?” Marc remained silent, looking increasingly ashamed. Dani’s instinct made him want to just stop and put the whole thing to rest, but he knew that if he did that the problem would not go away. The _insecurity_ would not go away.

“I saw my life if anything ever went wrong between the two of us. I saw you going back to Spain or wherever with my daughter. I saw you taking her away and getting away with it because she’s _yours_. Yes, I’m her father but she’s _yours_.”

 _Oh my god._ “She’s not just mine, Dani. How can you think that? She’s _ours_.”

“So you’re saying if we ever split up in the future that there would be a discussion as to who she stayed with?”

Marc didn’t know what to say for a moment, aware that probably said more than words ever could, and sought to remedy- or at least mitigate- that as quickly as possible. “We’re not even married yet, why are we talking about splitting up?”

“Because I need to know that, if the worst happens, I’m not going to be kept from seeing her.”

“I’m not- I _wouldn’t_ do that. Now that I’ve seen how much it hurt you… I could never intentionally hurt you like that. Never. But, Dani, we’re in the same position as any other couple with a child in the world. All I can do is promise that I will always be fair to you, just like I know you would be to me. I’m sorry I can’t give you any more assurances but I really don’t want to talk about us potentially splitting up sometime in the future in great detail.”

All Dani wanted was for his fiancé to realise how much he’d been hurt so that it wouldn’t happen again, knowing that short of drawing up a pre-nup to determine exactly what would happen in that eventuality, all they could do was trust each other. And he could trust Marc, so if he said that it wouldn’t happen again then he would believe him. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

“But if that ever happens again…”

 _I will make sure that it doesn’t. I’ll swear it again and again._ “It won’t happen,” he promised, making sure that Dani looked right into his eyes so he could see how serious he was.

 _I believe you_. “Let’s go to bed,” Dani said after a moment of contemplation, rising from the couch, “it’s been a long couple of days and I could really use a good sleep.”

 _Oh._ “Do you… Uh, I can take Alex’s room-“

Dani’s fingers tangling with his stopped him in his tracks, the pressure from the older man doing more to reassure him that any number of words ever could. “I just got you back.”

 _You never lost me_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I swore to share your joy and your pain..._   
>  _And I swear it all over again._


	88. Two of a Kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken so long! Not a lot of time to write with work :/ Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on the last chapter and thank you to Lyra for inspiring me (once again) to get my arse in gear!

Hyper aware of the clicking of cameras and people bustling around them, Marc reached out and grasped Dani’s hand, only a couple of feet away from the media centre but feeling as if he had a point to prove. He felt relieved when his advances weren’t rebuffed, the older man silently communicating his approval by applying pressure right back.

No matter how they pretended, there still remained above them an air of things not being quite right. And that was okay, because what happened _was_ a big deal but it wasn’t going to break them. Time was needed to heal after the damage, Marc would freely admit, he had done. All he could hope was that it wouldn’t take too long.

“Not looking forward to this.”

 _Makes two of us._ Smiling sympathetically, Dani twisted ever so slightly so that he could place a kiss against the younger man’s temple. It was probably obvious to all that they were going above and beyond to show that they were very much still together- still very much in love- especially in comparison to their usual race weekend behaviour. Dani really couldn’t have cared less. “It’s forty minutes, we just have to endure it.”

 _We’ve survived it before._ Trying to lighten the mood, Marc gave him a little smirk. “Don’t we always.”

****

“We come to our championship leader first. Dani, obviously a massively disappointing race last time out. Just how important do you think that will be in the context of the championship?”

Jaw clenching ever so slightly as he fought the urge to fix Nick Harris with the deathliest of glares, Dani fidgeted momentarily with the microphone. “It is not the first time something like this has happened to me during a race and it’s not going to be the last. Unfortunately, I’m at least 50% to blame so there is no point dwelling on it. I made a mistake. Could it have an effect on whether I win the championship? Yes, it is possible. But I’ve been in this position a number of times before and what I can say for sure is that it feels completely different now. Unlike those times, I’m now going to focus on what I need to do to win and not on things that cannot be changed.”

“Would it be a different story if it weren’t your team mate?”

Catching Jorge’s face hardening ever so slightly out of the corner of his eye, Dani was relieved to find that he wasn’t the only one irked by the blatant digging. “It’s been my team mate before, no?” He couldn’t help but grimace this time, “All I will is that yes, of course it’s a different situation when it’s Marc. We were both to blame, as Race Direction decided, so should I feel bad for forgiving him and wanting to move on? This is more than just drama between two team mates. This is about me and Marc and our daughter. I know you will understand when I won’t answer any more questions on the matter.”

 

If there was anything to be said for his little outburst, it was that it did the trick. Every single reporter seemed too embarrassed to ask any question that could even be remotely interpreted as referring to his relationship with Marc. Instead of making the situation more painful, it made for a much more pleasant press conference. Over in record time. How wonderful.

“So… _that_ happened.”

Marc looked far too amused as they shuffled out of the building after the conference had ended, that cheeky smile that had gotten to Dani all those months ago plastered on his face. He expected, however, that Marc felt similar to how he did- like they’d just survived something.

“Too much?”

“No, not at all. You certainly made my life a lot easier,” the reigning world champion grinned, bumping the other man’s arm with his.

Dani shook his head to himself. “Well, I’m glad to have been of service. Maybe next time you can be the one to tell them where to shove it?”

Marc’s face fell ever so slightly. “I really hope there won’t be a next time.”

 _Oh no, I didn’t mean it like that._ Reaching out for Marc’s hand to say just that. “I’m sure they’ll find something to interrogate us about.”

They headed back towards their motorhomes, deciding to opt for Dani’s instead of Marc’s, which had been bustling since they’d arrived the previous day. With his mother, father and Pilar about the place, it was at times a little bit crowded and so he accepted the non-verbal invitation offered by the other man when they were nearby. A couple of minutes to themselves before they re-joined the madness was well needed.

Pulling the door open, Dani gave the younger man a smile before gesturing for him to go ahead, following right behind him when he’d cleared the small number of steps. Marc continued to hover for a moment before remembering where he was and plonking down onto the couch. Dani quickly followed suit and they sat, knee to knee. But, thankfully, not in that “we’re very uncomfortably sitting next to each other just because we should” kind of way. More like “this is right place for us to be”. Dani angled his body slightly, so that he had a perfect view of his fiancé.

“I’m very proud of you, you know.” The words fell naturally from Marc’s mouth, the fluttering in his stomach that he’d felt at the time appearing once again, especially when Dani loosely took his hand in his.

“They think that just because we put ourselves out there that that gives them a free pass to ask anything they want about our personal lives. I’m happy to congratulate you and say that I’m proud of you but outside of that… I just want to talk about what happens on track.”

“Well, it _did_ start on track but I agree.”

Dani hesitated for a moment, watching the look of confusion briefly cross the other man’s face before he found himself leaning in, hands reaching out to cup Marc’s face as he brought their lips together. A shiver ran down his spine at the little moan of pleasant surprise that escaped the younger man, inspiring him to deepen the kiss. Silence descended upon the small motorhome, save for the delectable sound of lips and tongues moving together, the random hitching of breath.

They’d kissed since the whole Silverstone incident, but not like this. Not like they were completely one again, completely on the same page.

Unable to help himself, Marc shifted closer, hands grasping at the front of Dani’s Repsol t-shirt. The older man instantly responded, twisting and opening his legs enough for Marc to fit comfortably between them. _God, I missed this._

His veins began to thrum with electricity, that same feeling that had been there when they were together, not as team mates but as something more, for the first time in Indy, though it seemed like a lifetime ago now. That same level of intoxication that left Dani breathless and seeing stars from their kisses alone- a perfect chemical and biological match.

All too soon, Dani broke away, just moving enough that their foreheads were pressed together. Chocolate eyes met mocha, but saw so much more than just colour. If there had been any doubt before, Marc knew now that he would never, as long as he lived, feel love like this with anyone else. Even if he lived to be five hundred years of age. How fortunate, he thought, it was to end up team mates with the love of his life.

“Missed you,” Dani mumbled, not for the first time since they’d reunited but somehow different to all the others.

 _I_ know _._ “Missed you too.”

*****

All was going well. As per custom with Moto3, Alex was in and out of podium contention, albeit showing great potential to go on and win the race. That was far from unusual, so there appeared to be little reason to worry apart from one too many close calls with Rins. Marc seriously wondered how Emilio could handle having two riders in his team that weren’t afraid to swap paint like his brother and Rins were. Throw in Miller as well and the whole thing was a nightmare from start to finish.

As it transpired, Miller turned out to be the problem this time and not the sister 42 bike. The Australian threw his machine around a little too liberally, and Marc knew that Alex had to either throw it right back at him, or settle for a podium. Being a Marquez, after all, that was not something he was willing to do.

And the result… well…

The reigning world champion jerked so hard when Alex gave Miller the nudge that sent him off track and onto the floor that it, understandably, startled Pilar and she began to wail in his arms. That earned him a disapproving look from his mother that he was sure was at least half aimed at her youngest, and one of amusement from Dani as he removed their daughter from his arms.

“No points for guessing who Alex is related to…”

Marc wanted to be offended by his fiancé’s not so little dig, but decided not to go there when, on the balance of everything, he realised that that was an argument that he probably wasn’t going to win. Casting a glance to his right, he saw that his other still looked as if she’d lost two years off her life and felt deeply apologetic for all the misery she had to endure with the two of them.

“Be quiet.”

****

“It was his fault.”

“Alex-“

“He was too aggressive and he left me no room, there was nothing I could do.”

 _Wow._ Marc wondered for a moment if he sounded like that after finishing a race in which something controversial had happened, so clearly defensive. “You don’t have to convince me. I’m on your side, and not just because you’re my brother.” Okay, maybe if he had been a neutral he _might_ have had a slightly different take on things but standing where he was, he couldn’t see that Alex had done anything wrong. Especially having been in that situation a number of times before.

Looking a little more at ease, the younger Marquez’s shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. “There was nothing I could do,” he reiterated, “He put himself in that position and I’m probably being ripped to shreds as we speak.

 _That’s highly likely._ “Let them say all they want. The only thing you need to worry about is Race Direction. The rest… doesn’t matter. Just make sure that you’re prepared for Motegi…”

****

“Hey, you.”

Briskly walking back in the direction of Marc’s motorhome after eating in EG hospitality with his hood up, Alex cringed at the sudden address, afraid to turn around in case the person hadn’t been speaking to him. Instead, he kept walking.

“I’ll have to add ‘ignoring future brother in law’ to the list of offences, I guess?”

Despite himself, Alex couldn’t help but laugh. He turned, tension in his stomach loosening at the sight of Dani, looking quite amused with his arms crossed for effect, standing behind him. “You scared me.”

“Well maybe I wouldn’t have if you weren’t walking around like someone who’d just escaped from prison. Speaking of which, I’m very surprised that my husband to be and Emilio actually let you out by yourself.”

The Moto3 rider merely scoffed at that, pulling down his hood as he waited for the other man to fall into step with him. “Why aren’t you with said husband to be?”

Dani gave a little shrug. “He’s trying to get Pilar to sleep. She was a bit fussy.” Alex nodded his understanding and a comfortable silence descended upon them for a moment, until Dani decided to break it once again. “Race Direction are not taking any further action, so you just need to forget all about the noise being made. We all have those races.”

Alex remained silent for a moment before seemingly ill-placed giggles could be heard.

“What?” the Repsol rider arched an eyebrow, wondering if it had all become too much for Alex and he’d finally gone cracked.

“Is this ‘Dad-Dani’ I’m getting?”

 _Well, fuck you_. “No, this is _sensible_ Dani you’re getting,” he couldn’t help but smile, “I suppose you’re not in too much of a mood then if you’re able to laugh at my attempts at helping.”

“Your attempts at helping are very much appreciated. I’ve been involved in… _incidents_ before but I guess it just feels different now because I could potentially win the championship. I really can’t afford to have any more moments like this, can I?”

“Honestly? No, you can’t. It feels weird, doesn’t it? Nearing the end of the season and being in strong contention for the championship? Just don’t fuck it up like I have on many occasions and you should be fine.”

“Hey, most of those weren’t your fault.”

He shrugged. “Even so. Let’s make a pact- this year we’re going to add two more trophies to the Marquez-Pedrosa family collection?”

Hint of a smirk on his face as he eyed Dani’s now outstretched hand, Alex paused for a moment before shaking it. “Deal.”


	89. Count on Me, Like 1, 2,3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your eyes do not deceive you, I have updated! I actually cannot believe that it was midway through November when I last posted a chapter... you have the right to verbally berate me! So sorry :/ Hopefully what's to come will make up for it. This will be finished before the 3 year anniversary so help me god!

“Pilar… Pilar, no! Dani!”

Dani, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor with their daughter, had picked up his phone momentarily, during which time Pilar had seized the opportunity to make her Great Escape and was now crawling with determination towards the back door.

“Shit!” In awe of how quickly she had moved once his attention had been diverted, Dani let his phone fall to the floor, crawling swiftly after her. The little minx started laughing away to herself when he hoisted her up into his arms, as if she were conceding that he had won this time but she would get him the next. He looked up, gaze locking with Marc’s as the younger man stood by the stove with his arm crossed, looking entirely disapproving.

“One of these days she’ll be halfway down to the lake if you don’t keep an eye on her.”

Peppering his daughter’s face with kisses, causing her to shriek with delight, the older man arched an eyebrow at his fiancé. “The door was only open in the first place because you were so busy texting Alex that you forgot about the asparagus.”

 _Not the point_. “Look after your daughter,” Marc chastised him, before quickly turning back to the cooker to make sure the sauce wasn’t burning.

Dani couldn’t help but grin to himself. Marc was a fantastic cook but had a tendency to get distracted and forget about things. He’d lost count of the amount of pots and pans he’d had to replace since the younger man moved in, but seeing the look of pride on his intended’s face when the stars aligned and everything turned out perfectly…. He would willingly buy all the kitchen apparatus in the world.

****

“In the centre we have our race-winner, Dani Pedrosa, accompanied by second place, Marc Marquez, and a crucial third place for Jorge Lorenzo of Movistar Yamaha. Dani, an invaluable race win here at Philip Island- bringing you that bit closer to the championship with only two rounds left to go… A win in Malaysia and a retirement from the man on your left would pretty much guarantee you the trophy you’ve been hunting for for so many years now. How are you feeling?”

“Well, first of all, I am very happy with this win. We knew that we would have to get a good result here for the championship and, thankfully, we did- even though only four, five tenths of a second separate the top three. My rhythm has not been so good this weekend- starting from sixth on the grid- so this win is something I’m very proud of. Especially since these guys were pushing so hard.

“Like you say, there are still two rounds left. There are many ‘what ifs’ in the back of your mind but in situations like this it is pointless to focus on that. Anything can happen in a race and you cannot write off any of your rivals. I’m not just racing Jorge; I’m also racing Valentino and Marc and Dovi and everyone else. They all want to win as much as I do,” Dani admitted with a small shrug.

“Which brings us onto your right-hand man. Marc, congratulations on second position.”

The younger Repsol rider smiled despite his trepidation. “Thank you.”

“Just following on from that point that Dani made about racing you as well as Jorge…” _I can’t wait to see where this is going._ Fighting the urge to grimace, Marc nodded as he fidgeted with his microphone. “There may well come a time in the next two races where you’re ahead of Dani, occupying a place that he desperately needs to win the championship… what happens in that situation?”

 _Great, so nothing controversial then…_ Letting out a whoosh of air, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “So… okay- obviously, I always want to do my best race. I try to win every single time. This gets complicated when your team mate has a chance to win the championship. In this situation I have to do what is best for the team. But this does not mean that I will let Dani pass no matter what. First, we race. If the situation arises and there is no choice, I will help my team mate. Because I know that, if the roles were reversed, he would help me. But, like I said, this does not mean that I don’t respect that Jorge is also fighting for the championship.”

“And on a personal level, you obviously want Dani to win.”

Casting a glance over at his fiancé, Marc could easily see that Dani had shut down and was sure that everyone else could too, without even knowing him that well. His smile had all but disappeared and he knew Dani- who had been so used to keeping his private life away from the track- hated this so much more than Marc did. “It makes no difference whether I want to Dani to win as his fiancé. All that matters is what I do on track, what is good for the team on track. I know Dani wouldn’t want to win just because I wanted our daughter to have two world champions as fathers or I wanted more silverware in our house. Above all, in this situation Dani is my team mate.”

****

Walking back into their motorhome, less than pleased, Dani placed a newspaper face down on the table so that the sports section at the back was on display. The younger rider could feel the tension emanating from the other man, and it only took one glance down at the offending (and questionable) news source for him to figure out why.

**MARQUEZ: I’LL HELP DANI WIN**

Fighting the urge to laugh at the incredible reaching by the ‘journalist’ who had written that, Marc turned the paper over once again, as Dani finally calmed enough to sink into the seat across from him. “Everyone who watched that press conference knows exactly what I meant. It’s ridiculous- were all but contractually bound to help our team mates in this situation anyway.”

“Why aren’t you more upset about this? They’re trying to undermine the both of us,” Dani enquired, jaw still clenched tight.

Marc, who had been expecting something like this, didn’t not shrug his ambivalence. He knew exactly why this was a big deal for his fiancé. “It’s not the worst thing they’ve written about us. I prefer to get my news these days from sources that know what the fuck they’re talking about and not these rags trying desperately to sell more papers to make up for the lack of decent journalism.”

“It’s insulting,” Dani seethed.

Reaching out and taking his husband-to-be’s hand, the younger man looked him directly in the eye. “I know it is, but it’s also not true.”

“You don’t get it,” Dani knew very well that the words came out a little too sharply but couldn’t help it, “I’ve been _so close_ so many times before, before something went wrong and fucked everything up. I’m now closer than I’ve ever been, so close that I can almost taste it and now not only do I have to worry about crashing and breaking my collarbone or ankles, I also have to go into these races knowing that everyone thinks my fiancé- who has already won a championship despite being seven years younger- is trying to win it for me.”

 _And here it is_. Marc knew this moment had been coming for a while now. The weight of expectation mixed with past experience meant that there was bound to come a time when the doubt and anxiety began to creep in. Or hit with a bang in this case.

“You’re right, you _are_ so close. It’s right there, in touching distance. But this time is different- this time you’re not going to end up with a broken collarbone or two broken ankles. But you might if you keep expecting to. Dani, your mentality alone at this stage is going to be the difference between winning and losing. Can you honestly tell me that when you’re standing up on that stage in three weeks’ time being presented with that trophy that you’ve worked for, that you’ve coveted all your life, that you’ll give a damn about _anything_ these lot,” he picked up the newspaper and dropped it again, “have to say? They’ll only ruin this as much as you allow them to.”

Sighing, Dani gritted his teeth and growled as he dragged a hand wearily across his face. “You’re right. It’s just… it’s becoming too much. I can’t even sleep sometimes with all the worry.”

“Yeah, well if I find out after this that you’re not sleeping and don’t wake me or talk to me you won’t make it to Valencia,” he joked, smile brightening when he saw that it had the desired effect on his fiancé, “I get it, it’s the last thing you need to achieve-“

“You’re wrong.”

“What?”

“You’re wrong,” Dani repeated, “the last thing I need to achieve is making you my husband.”

 _Are you kidding me._ Knowing that it wasn’t exactly the expected reaction, Marc threw the rolled up paper at the other man. “That was cheesy as fuck, Pedrosa.”

“It is, _Pedrosa_.”

“Dani,” Marc began, trying to hide the fact that he was doing cartwheels on the inside, “You may have been my hero all my life but there is no way I’m taking your second name.”

“It’s okay,” he smirked, “I know the Marquez brand is too lucrative.”

 _Did you-_ Now his turn to growl, Marc grimaced. “Give me back that newspaper so I can hit you again.” He rose and, instead of snatching it back, the younger man nudged his fiancé over and squeezed in next to him. Resting his head on Dani’s shoulder, Marc worried his bottom lip, knowing even as his soon-to-be husband wrapped him up in his arms that he needed to ask the question. “Do you ever regret that everyone knows about us? Do you think that sometimes it would be easier if we kept it hidden?”

“No,” Dani answered without a second’s hesitation, “I mean, yeah I guess it pops into my head sometimes. Like when we we’re in a press conference and they find more creative ways of bringing our relationship up. But can you imagine how hard it would be on us to hide all this? The pressure it would put on us would probably destroy us. And, realistically, the minute Pilar came into the picture we didn’t have a choice. It doesn’t matter, _this_ ,” he gestured between the two of them, “is more than worth anything I have to endure. That doesn’t mean that I don’t wish all the time that they would just get bored already.”

 _Same. Just…_ same _._ Brushing his lips against the older man’s ear, Marc smiled, feeling infinitely better. “Me too.”

****

**LORENZO WINS IN SEPANG, CHAMPIONSHIP GOES DOWN TO VALENCIA**

_Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo, currently second in the MotoGP World Championship, gave us a master class in grand prix motorcycle racing in Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix, where he finished a full three seconds clear of championship elect, Dani Pedrosa. Cal Crutchlow pulled off an infallible last lap to beat 9-times World Champion Valentino Rossi to the last podium spot. Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez was taken to the Clinica Mobile after a second-lap highside left him with a suspected collarbone fracture but was subsequently given a clean bill of health and is expected to be fully fit for the final race._

_With this result, 8 points now separate Pedrosa and Lorenzo ahead of the final showdown in Valencia in two weeks’ time. A win for number 26 would secure him his first MotoGP championship after nine years of trying, while a win for 2010 and 2012 champion, Lorenzo, would only be sufficient if Pedrosa placed 3rd place or lower. The Valencian Grand Prix will take place on the 9th of November at 2 pm local time._

 

**_MotoGP World Championship Standings_ **

  1. _Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) 307 points_
  2. _Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha) 299 points_
  3. _Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) 291 Points_
  4. _Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 249 points_
  5. _Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 241 points_




	90. The Long Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had not planned on including a chapter like this but I realised that it was what was missing from my end of fic plan. Now I have a clear path to the finish line ;) Enjoy and thank you as always!

Chatting away to Emilio on their way back from the media centre, Alex startled when his manager firmly grasped his arm, bringing him to a dead stop. “What-“ It didn’t take too long for him to figure out what had prompted it, just about stopping shorting of walking straight into Valentino of all people and Alex somehow found his ability to speak stolen. He just stood there, his mouth open like the imbecile he felt.

“Hey.”

 _Come on, Alex. I’m sure you can think of a reply to_ that _._ “Uh, hi…”

Uccio, who was by the MotoGP rider’s side as always, shot him a less than friendly look that Emilio all too willingly returned, but the former couple was far too preoccupied to even notice. “So, Valencia?”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded, terrified smile tugging at his mouth, “Valencia.”

Vale opened his mouth to reply but closed it just as quickly, rethinking what he was about to say. _Fuck it._ “You’re leaving tonight?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Would you like to have coffee in my motorhome? I think maybe it is good for us to talk…”

“Absolutely not.” Emilio got there before Rossi’s right-hand man even got the chance to open his mouth. “Not a chance.”

Cheeks turning a light shade of pink, Alex turned to his manager. “ _Emilio._ You can’t make decisions like that for me.”

“Decisions like that? I thought it would be pretty obvious. He-”

Ignoring Emilio’s obvious incredulity, the Moto3 riders gaze met his ex’s once again, looking outwardly calmer and more collected than he felt on the inside. “I think that is a good idea.”

Obviously not the answer he had been expecting, Vale smiled, nodding more for his own reassurance than anything. “Okay. Good. So you want to come now?”

“Yes,” Alex shot his manager a look that clearly said ‘Do not tell Marc’, “I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“I hope you know what you’re doing. And _you_ ,” the glare that the Italian rider found himself on the receiving end of was positively lethal, “If I so much as get an inkling that you’ve fucked him up again it won’t be just me that you have to worry about.”

“Like I said, I think we should clear the air, no? It’s time.”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed, “I think it is.”

Finally managing to shake the other two men, they made the short journey from the media centre to Vale’s motorhome, the awkwardness of the silence weighing heavily on both of them. Neither saw any point in making small talk for the benefit of those around them, neither sure that they could in any case. With every step that brought them closer to being alone again, Alex’s heart beat faster and faster. He’d had this conversation so many times in his mind since they parted ways, but now that the opportunity had actually presented itself, he wasn’t too sure what he could say.

 

Vale held the door open for him, the younger man stepping inside without ceremony. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to them, despite the fact that their ‘friendship’ was already well documented on social media. Alex was probably a little too surprised by the fact that not a single thing in the very familiar motorhome had changed since he’d last been inside; the stack of magazines next to the TV still remained where it had been when he used to flick through them when waiting for his boyfriend to get out of the shower, the blanket folded over the back of the couch that they would sometimes snuggle under and watch a movie…

It sent shivers down his spine. So little had changed, and yet everything was different.

The sound of the door closing behind Valentino almost made Alex jump a foot into the air, the sudden sound pulling him violently from his trip down memory lane. He placed his hand over his heart, laughing and casting an anxious smile at the other man.

“Me dispiace. Coffee?”

“Hmm, yes please.”

“Tiny bit of milk and one spoon of sugar?”

 _Yep. Strangely I haven’t changed how I like my coffee since I last saw you._ “Exactly.”

“Okay, one sec. Make yourself comfortable.”

He wanted to say that that was easier said than done, deciding against it for obvious reasons, and momentarily weighed up the pros and cons of the living area verses the kitchen table in his head. Alex ultimately chose the living area, reasoning that the kitchen table would more resemble a business talk and that would be completely counterproductive. Sitting down on the couch, he pulled out his phone, unsurprised to find that he already had two texts from Marc, though he’d received them in the middle of an interview and not since he’d parted ways with Emilio.

Marc: I will pay you to come save me from this interview

Marc: Oops! I have been informed that you, too, are in need of saving. Don’t worry, I’ll get Dani on it ;)

“Here you go.”

Jumping once again, Alex quickly tucked his phone into the pocket of his fleece, before accepting the cup and giving his thanks. Vale waved it off, sitting down no more than a foot and a half away from him and Alex marvelled at how natural it still felt to adjust his position to suit the Italian.

“How are you feeling about Valencia?”

 _Not getting right into it so._ Tightening his grip on his cup to keep from fidgeting in other ways, Alex gave a nervous shrug. “Okay, I guess. It’s just… so close now. This is it- no more chances.”

The other man was already shaking his head before Alex finished speaking. “No, not no more chances. There are always more chances. I really think you’re going to win this one but even if you don’t… you’ve still got Moto2 and MotoGP left to come. Sure, you’ll have to go up against the best of the best again but Valencia isn’t the end of your career. Far from it.”

Feeling a flutter in his stomach, always knowing that Valentino believed in him but hearing it now completely different, the younger man bit his lip and nodded. “I guess it isn’t. But I _really_ want to win. I want Marc and my parents and Emilio and Dani to be proud of me. I want joint celebrations after the gala because both Dani and I are world champions. I don’t want all of that slip away.”

“Just don’t let it consume you. This, at the end of the day, is just another race when it comes down to it- it’s more important, yes, but it’s just another race. I’m sure this time two weeks the Marquezes and Pedrosas are going to be _very_ happy…”

“So you think Dani is going to win?”

 _Absolutely._ “Yeah, I do. Dani’s never ridden better than he’s riding now, and he’s been so close before. Throw in the fact that he’s never been happier and you have a very competitive and determined rider. But… well, we’ll see.” Giving another nod, the Moto3 rider observed his ex carefully for a moment, prompting him to laugh. “What? I don’t remember you being this shy before.”

“Sorry,” Alex blushed, “I just… I was just wondering what it must be like. To be in love like Dani and Marc are. I mean- we weren’t _them_.”

 _No, we weren’t._ “To walk into the garage one day and lay eyes on the other guy and think ‘wow, I really wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my life looking across the pillow at you’?” he smiled sadly at the younger man’s pink cheeks, “It’s rare. And the fact that they just so happened to become team mates… what are the odds of that?”

“About 93 million to 26.”

 _Right._ “About that. But someday it’s going to happen to you- maybe not with your team mate- and my guess is you’ll understand. I’m just sorry I couldn’t give you that and I ever sorrier that we ended the way we did. They… they always told me that I would break your heart and I didn’t believe them but I guess they were right in the end…”

The subject had to come up somehow, all the words unspoken and feeling unexpressed hanging over them like a dark cloud. Since they’d called it a day, both had done a pretty good job of avoiding the other as much as possible (aided mostly by those close to Alex who knew) but they knew there would come a time when they needed to have a honest conversation and… what better time than the present? “It’s not okay but it’s fine, if you know what I mean?”

“I do but I… I don’t want to say that it never should have happened in the first place because it did and I loved you, Alex. I _really_ loved you and I still do, if I’m completely honest. But I think you know as well as I do- maybe, maybe not- that sometimes it’s just not enough. And however much I wished it could be, it just… wasn’t.”

Alex felt a lump form in his throat as he nodded, tears stinging his eyes even after all the time that had passed. He’d dealt with this, in whatever way he could, and though the wounds had turned to scars and couldn’t be reopened, they still hurt. “I know. I loved you too. We were bound to realise at some point that we’re at completely different stages in our lives. But it- just…”

Ignoring the voice in the back of his mind that told him this was a bad idea, Vale reached out and grasped the younger man’s hand. “It hurts, I know. I may have ended things but it hurts me too, in ways that I can’t even begin to explain. Right here,” he placed his other hand over his chest, “But that has to go away at some point. And then hopefully we’ll both find what we’re looking for.”

Something in the air between them changed, like they had finally managed to let go, and Alex nodded through the tears that were now trickling slowly down his cheeks, the other man’s hand still tangled with his. It was strange, how he felt free, like there had still been this invisible chain binding them the whole time, causing them both pain. That chain had fallen away and Alex now knew why it had been so important to have this conversation before Valencia, which would be the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. He would do his best to win the championship, Dani would hopefully do the same. They would celebrate, prepare for his brother’s upcoming wedding and everything would be… okay. And all that would be done without the Italian that had been tangled up in everything that had happened since last year.

The sat there, unmoving, for a minute or two until they found themselves gradually gravitating towards each other again. The distance between them closed until they were mere inches away, both knowing this wasn’t the best idea by any means but both knowing exactly what it meant.

“Alex…” It wasn’t a warning as such but Vale found himself saying it anyway, the Moto3 rider’s breath tickling his cheek in a way that gave him flashbacks to that first night in Valencia almost a year ago.

“We both know it’s over. And we never got to say a proper goodbye…”

Without another word, the Italian closed the distance. It wasn’t fireworks like it was before, and would never be again (for them, at least) but both still wanted it- needed it.

“Is the door locked?”

“Yes,” the reply came, all breathy and loaded, “I locked it when we first came in.”

Fingers creeping up beneath the other man’s shirt, Alex placed kisses along Vale’s jaw. “Good.”

****

“There you are!”

The exclamation from his brother when he entered the motorhome almost caused him to fall back down the steps again, the mild annoyance he felt as he tried to get his heartbeat back to a normal rate once again fading away when he saw Marc’s smile, somehow always managing to make things that little bit better. Things may have been over forever with him and Vale, but it meant so much to be able to come home and still have Marc and Pilar there. Comfort seeped through him as he realised that they were the constant in his life, they were there for keeps.

“Here I am,” he laughed and pulled the door closed behind him.

“We thought we were going to have to send a search party out for you. Is everything okay?”

 _Besides being a bit stiff…_ “Yeah, everything’s fine. We going for dinner?”

“Yeah, I’m starving. Everyone else went ahead, I was just about to head over and forget about you so you arrived in the nick of time. So come on.”

Holding up his hands in surrender, allowing Marc to herd him back out again, Alex laughed. “Okay, okay! I learned long ago not to come between you and your food.”

“Be quiet or you’re not allowed come.”

_Some things never change._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This is the long goodbye, somebody tell me why_   
>  _Two lovers in love can't make it, just what kind of love keeps breaking our hearts._   
>  _No matter how hard I try, you're gonna make me cry_   
>  _Come on baby it's over, let's face it,_   
>  _All that's happening here is the long goodbye._


	91. Win or Lose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry (once again) for the wait!
> 
> Also: 500 kudos?! That is INSANE! Thank you all so much ♥

“I don’t know how this is going to work…” Marc admitted, leaning against the jam of the door to his fiancé’s motorhome. People continued to pass by and stare for a little too long, some even congregating in a circle just out of hearing distance in an attempt to catch him when he was finished with Dani. He found that he didn’t mind so much, it wasn’t a conversation that warranted much privacy.

Dani knew exactly what he meant but was confident in the decision that they’d reached together. “We’ve done it before.”

“Yeah,” he half laughed, “before we had a daughter together.”

“I know what you mean,” Dani conceded but something in his gut told him this was the right thing to do, “but it’s not like we’re not going to see each other at all. It’s just… a little bit of space.”

Marc supposed he could understand, and wouldn’t resent the other man for it, but it was a little hard to comprehend when he’d wanted to be closer rather that further apart from Dani when he’d been in the same situation a year previous. “I guess. Do these rules mean that you can’t come eat lunch with me now?”

Giving a little roll of his eyes, Dani ushered him down the steps. “Come on.”

They stopped to take pictures with the little group who had waited patiently before heading off towards hospitality. The atmosphere was undeniably weird; everything was much the same as every other race, but in some ways completely different. In the run up to their arrival at Cheste, Marc and Dani had conferred and decided that they would spend the weekend in their respective motorhomes. It wasn’t a decision they’d made lightly, but given the circumstances and how they’d changed from the previous year, it seemed wise.

Valencia had finally come and there was a substantial chance that, come Sunday, they would have another champion in the family. Possibly two…

*****

"I've never been so stressed in my entire life."

Looking up from the data sheets he was reassessing from FP3, Santi arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Really? You're not even in the running for the championship..."

"Yes, I know! I actually think it’s worse this year than it was last. This time last year all the pressure was on me and that was good, I can handle pressure. But now I have to just watch as my brother and fiancé try to win titles and there is nothing I can do to help. It's so frustrating. Dani and I are spending nights apart, Alex is in this weird place where he only really wants to interact with Guille for whatever reason and I'm just here. Alone. Trying to... I don't actually know what I'm trying to do to be honest. Should I try to win the race, should I not? Should I take out Lorenzo on the first corner? Who knows?"

Not concerned by that last part because he knew very well that his rider would never take another rider intentionally out of any race, Santi nodded, this the first indication that Marc was actually struggling with everything. "Well, I told you already that I agree with Dani's decision to spend nights apart. It's just... messy. And that's no one's fault; it's just the way it is, but it certainly doesn't help the situation. As for Alex... that makes sense too. You know the type of pressure he's under right now. And you can't do anything to help at the moment. Guille, on the other hand, can- just as I helped you last year. So I really wouldn't take it personally if I were you. Everything..." the older man let out a whoosh of air, "well, I can't say for sure that everything is going to be fine because no one knows how it's all going to turn out, but Alex’s and Dani's chances will never be better than they are now. They're both riding incredibly well. Don't look at me like that, you know as well as I do that there is literally nothing you can do to help bar supporting them. No one else can win this but them."

Marc sighed, knowing full well that his crew chief was making a lot of sense but unable to shake his constant urge to make things better for two of the three most important people in his life. He chewed on his lip, frown firmly etched on his usually smiling face. "I could do it you know. I could at least give Dani the championship."

 _Oh boy..._ Santi put down his folder momentarily, feeling that this turn of events was serious enough to warrant his full attention. "What? What could you do to give it to him?"

The older man sounded genuinely curious, and Marc couldn't help but understand why. A million permutations and variables began circling his mind, each of them requiring a different course of action. "I... I don't know. I could..."

"Yes?"

"Okay, I could do a million things but I won't know until after lights out what needs to be done."

"Exactly. So, theoretically, you could give Dani the championship; but it's going to come down to a matter of this way or that way, this move or that move. It's just like any other race, only this time you've got different motivations."

Marc smiled appreciatively at that, not entirely satisfied but more confident in his part in all this mess than he had been a couple of minutes previously. “I can’t wait for this weekend to be over. No matter what happens I just want to _know_. We can deal with anything that’s thrown at us, I just can’t handle the not knowing.”

“Just a little over twenty four hours and it will be over. We’ll be either celebrating or commiserating- maybe both- but either way we are going to get pissed. I can tell you that for sure.”

That earned one of his trademark laughs. “I’m definitely on board with that.”

****

“Where is he?” Marc wondered, sticking his head back inside the garage and finding himself face to face with Eric, Emilio’s warning that he had like five minutes in the back of his mind.

“First, congrats,” the smaller man smiled, though there was something in his expression that betrayed his concern, “second, I think he’s back at his motorhome already. It’s… not great.”

If he was honest, Marc couldn’t exactly say he wasn’t expecting that. With a sigh, he gave a little nod. “Right. Well, I have like five minutes and I feel like this conversation is going to take longer than that… what should I do?”

“He qualified sixth, I’ll leave that decision to you.”

Without another word from his future brother-in-law, the Repsol rider knew what he had to do. Hastily giving his thanks to Eric, Marc set off in a half-sprint towards his fiancé’s motorhome before he was pulled away for more than an hour and missed the chance. Completely uncaring about the curious looks that he was on the receiving end of, he dashed up the steps, glad the door was unlocked. Feeling apologetic at how Basilia practically jumped a foot into the air at his entrance, glad that Antonio had their daughter, his eyes roamed under they landed on a very surprised looking Dani hovering in the kitchen area.

“Hi! I’m running on a really tight schedule but I needed to see you. Just wanted to say that sixth position is not the end of the world, you can make it up with no problem. You can do this and I love you so much.” Blowing the other man a kiss, Marc quickly bade farewell to his future in-laws before taking off towards the media centre once again.

****

“Question for Marc… Marc, you start from pole while Dani will be in sixth position- will your main aim tomorrow be to keep Jorge from winning the race?”

 _And I’ve only been asked this question a million times already._ “My main aim is always to win the race, no? No one knows what will happen tomorrow- no one ever knows. I’m just planning to do the best race I can and we will see about the rest.”

“Another question for Marc: both Dani and your brother may become world champions tomorrow; if they both win how big will the party be?”

He laughed at that. “For sure, if Dani and Alex win there will be big celebrations. I don’t know many details but I don’t really care about the party right now. We will see what happens tomorrow night. Either way, I’m a very a proud brother and fiancé.”

“If all goes well will Pilar be getting a brother or sister?”

The whole room laughed at that but Marc had to struggle to keep from going bright red. No harm was meant by it, he knew that. If it were any other rider who had recently become a parent they would probably ask the same question. But for Marc it felt very much like a touchy subject. He let out a whoosh of air. “Absolutely not. She will have to be happy being an only child. Neither Dani nor I are in any rush to have another child any time soon. We are very happy as we are at the moment…”

*****

“They basically asked if you and Alex win would we get carried away in the celebrations and end up with another baby.”

Despite his lingering bad mood as a result of his less than stellar qualifying, Dani burst out laughing at the table, earning him a number of quizzical looks from those around them in hospitality. “You never know…”

Marc almost choked on his mouthful of chicken, shooting the other man a _very_ dirty look. “That’s not funny. If you even think about knocking me up again I’ll divorce you.”

“We’re not married yet, you idiot.”

“I’ll marry you just so that I can divorce you,” the younger man said without missing a beat.

Chewing on his bottom lip momentarily, Dani frowned as he actually considered the whole thing. “Do you ever think about having another? Even if just in passing.”

For a moment Marc was unsure as to what he should say to that. Of course, the thought had crossed his mind a couple of times; wondering what having a second child would be like, if Pilar would love it or not be so keen… All of that, however, was strictly hypothetical. “Yeah, sometimes.”

 _Let me rephrase that._ “Do you ever see yourself _wanting_ another baby?”

Honestly… “Eventually, yes. I think I would like another. But definitely not anytime soon. I want a couple more championships before that happens,” he laughed, happy to see that Dani seemed rather satisfied with that answer, “So, in the meantime, be warned that I might be liable to kill you if you get me pregnant.”

He didn’t doubt it for a moment. “Consider me warned.”

****

“Okay, so question time…”

Guille looked up at the younger man from where he’d been lounging on the motorhome couch after eating, the place quiet since everyone else had gone to hospitality. Alex had been needing some time away from all the expectation and his crew chief had been more than willing to stay with him. “Go on…”

“Who’s easier to work with, me or Marc?”

“Why, jealous?” Guille winked, prompting the rider to toss a cushion in his direction.

“Not jealous, just curious. Now answer.”

“Honestly? You are. By _far_. I loved working with Marc- it’s a privilege to work with such a gifted rider- but with you… I don’t know, it feels like it’s much better for my health.”

“Marc’s not _that_ bad.”

He barked a laugh. “Are you kidding? That boy should come with a health warning stuck to his leathers. You’re much kinder on all of our hearts. Except when it comes to incidents with certain Australians…”

Alex stuck his tongue out at that. “We established that that wasn’t my fault, remember?”

“I remember, don’t worry. Still didn’t make for pleasant viewing though. So if you could kindly not get pulled into anything like that tomorrow I would be very appreciative.”

And there it was again, the undeniable fact that Sunday was coming whether he liked it or not. His stomach began to do somersaults, face twisting into something of a grimace. “I’ll try. Can’t say that _he’ll_ do the same though.”

The comment about the Marquezes thinking themselves to be royalty went through the crew chief’s mind again, anger beginning to bubble up inside him. “He’s a petulant child. He’s not going to play fair but just try not to get sucked into it. The worst thing you can do is get up close and personal because he’ll draw you in, force you to make a mistake so that he walks away as champion. Do not give him the satisfaction of that, okay? This is yours and neither Jack fucking Miller nor anyone else is going to take it from you.”

“You seem so sure…”

“I am sure. And you have to be too because this is it; no more chances. You either win, or you lose. So let’s make sure that you win.”

 

 

 


	92. On Top of the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in the space of a couple of days... I'm surprising myself! There's but a couple of chapters left now and I seem to have my mojo back for this one so the end is nigh I'm afraid!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one ;)

Marc felt as if he was going to be sick.

For breakfast he picked at some pastries and cereal, trying desperately to get something into him that would keep him going. That, however, was a lot easier said than done, the anxiety making him feel that anything he could get down would only make a reappearance once again. It was all just too much. Dani and Alex and everything else. He’d watched as his brother had won championships before but this was on a whole new level. He realised just how excruciating it must feel for his parents and family, and Marc found that his respect for them increased again- if that were even possible- because they were so much better in dealing with this than he was.

The arrival of warm-up was something he both welcomed and dreaded. On the one hand, it gave him an escape, a chance to focus on his own riding and let everything fall into place. On the other, it meant that the main events were nearing closer and closer, and he just wished they would stop.

Looking across to the other side of the garage, Marc was unsurprised to find that Dani was the picture of focus and determination, not giving any hint that this was anything but your average race. His team were gathered round him, all taking turns in contributing whatever valuable information they had. Marc had to stifle a laugh at the realisation that that was the first he’d seen of his husband-to-be that morning. While the majority of Dani’s team were present at breakfast in hospitality that morning, the man himself was nowhere to be found and Marc couldn’t really say he blamed him. His mother and Basilia were taking care of Pilar, keeping her out of the way of all the madness, and Marc wondered whether Dani had actually seen his daughter at all since they’d put her to bed together the previous night.

Before he had a chance to dwell too much on that, Santi was giving him the green light to go ahead and get on the bike. With one more glance over at his team mate, Marc flipped down his visor, all thoughts bar those relating to the session leaving his head.

*****

“Hey,” giving the other man a weak smile, Marc unzipped his heavily damaged leathers.

“Are you all right? I didn’t see the crash but they told me that you had gone to the clinica…”

Feeling immensely guilty for causing his fiancé to worry about him when he had much more important things to think about, he reached out and linked his fingers with Dani’s. “I’m fine. Just a precaution. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

Dani released a deep breath he didn’t even know he had been holding. “Okay, good. Today is a good day, we don’t need any injuries today.”

“I’m with you on that one.”

“At least you’re back just in time for Moto3. Are you watching in EG?”

Marc shook his head. “In our garage. I don’t think I can be around Alex’s team and Emilio right now, he stresses me out.”

 _Are you serious?_ “Well I’m pretty sure that you two are the reason for _him_ stressing out so I don’t think you can really complain about that one. I want to join you but…”

“No, don’t worry. We all understand. I’ve been there before; it was bad enough without watching someone else I love fight for a championship too.”

“If all goes well, I’ll meet you in parc ferme.”

Smiling, Marc leaned in to press a kiss against the older man’s lips, a different type of butterflies materialising in his stomach when Dani moved closer and placed his hand at the nape of Marc’s neck. “You’ve got this, okay? I’ll beat up Jorge if he takes this away from you.”

The championship-elect couldn’t help but laugh at that, the action making him feel the slightest bit lighter. “I would love to see you and Jorge in a fight.”

“Yeah, well I wouldn’t so please don’t make me have to.” Another kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

****

 _“Welcome to Valencia where the 2014 Moto3 Championship is about to be decided. Niccolo Antonelli starts the race from pole position for the very first time, ahead of championship hopefuls Jack Miller and Alex Marquez. There is certainly no love lost between Miller and Marquez and we’re almost certainly in for a classic race. It is the familiar number 12 bike that comes into this race with the advantage, 11 points ahead of Miller, meaning that the number 8_ must _win the race if he is to have any chance of claiming the title.”_

 _“That is, of course, if Marquez actually_ finishes _the race.”_

_“Indeed you’re right. A podium will be enough for Marquez but he certainly cannot afford any mistakes. It will be interesting to see how big of a part team mates and third parties will play today. As we all know, Moto3 is well known for being predictably unpredictable.”_

_“I certainly cannot wait, Nick. We’re in for a cracker of a day of racing.”_

_“This_ is _grand prix motorcycle racing, isn’t it? It just doesn’t get any better than this.”_

_“We’ll see what our championship hopefuls think of that statement in a couple of hours’ time!”_

****

“This is ridiculous!”

“Marc-“

“He’s being far too aggressive! This is not just your average Moto3 race, it’s a championship battle. How many times does he have to swap paint with Alex?”

Santi, who was beginning to regret offering to watch the race with the reigning (for at least another couple of hours) world champion, placed his hand firmly on the younger man’s arm. “He’s being an asshole but we expected as much. We just have to trust that Alex isn’t going to lose his cool.”

“I’m going to lose my cool if he-“

Exchanging a look with Jordi, who was shaking his head, the crew chief decided to just let him off. _You do what you have to do, Marc._

****

“Marc…”

“What?” the MotoGP rider asked a bit sharply, sending his crew chief an apologetic smile when he realised just that, “Sorry, it’s just… tense.”

“There’s two laps left; shouldn’t you make your way down to Emilio?”

That simple question hit everything home for him. He needed to go out into the pit lane because he needed to be there when his brother crossed the finish line, which meant he needed to be there to witness his brother win the _championship_. Without another word, Marc hopped up from where he had been sitting on the floor, only stopping to make sure there were no bikes coming down pit lane before he sprinted across to the wall and down to the Estrella Galicia spot. A number of team members were already beginning to congregate there, one of whom nudged his manager. Emilio waved him up next to him immediately, seemingly afraid to say anything as the end drew nearer and nearer.

Marc watched, one hand firmly on his manager’s arm as they crossed the finish line for the second last time, feeling as if his legs were going to give out at any moment as they meandered their way through the final lap. A couple of corners from the end he realised that, barring disaster, his brother was going to follow in his footsteps and become a world champion. A smile threatened to cut his face in half, tears welling up in his eyes.

3 corners.

 _This is it_.

2 corners.

_He’s going to do it._

1 corner.

_Just a couple of seconds…_

Finish line.

_World champion._

****

Marc soon realised, as Alex entered parc ferme after his victory lap, that his brother’s victory made him happier that winning the championship himself. Sure he looked like a man possessed, he didn’t care as he pretty much screamed at his brother, tossing him about the place after he jumped into the crowd. Chants of ‘Campéon, campéon, campéon’ rang out around them and, though he wasn’t sure how it happened, at one point Alex ended up sitting on his shoulders. They dropped him on the wrong side of the barrier, Marc finding himself on the receiving end of a borderline bone-crushing hug from his brother. He returned it in kind.

“You did it. I’m so proud of you.”

“Yeah, well I couldn’t do it without you. I couldn’t have done it if you hadn’t done it before me.”

 _I really don’t think that’s true._ “Yes you could.”

****

_“And the Marquez crew are now joined in parc ferme by another championship hopeful, Dani Pedrosa, who stops by to congratulate his future brother-in-law.”_

_“For those of you who may have not heard-“_

_“I think only those who have been living under a rock!”_

_“Dani is engaged to be married to his team mate,_ Marc _Marquez, who won the championship last year and revealed their relationship with a kiss on the podium.”_

 _“They’ll be hoping for more of the same later this afternoon when Dani goes head to head with Jorge Lorenzo. Tell you what- if Dani manages it, I would_ love _to be invited to that victory party!”_

_“Something tells me the alcohol would be flowing into the very early hours of the morning. Of course, a lot can happen before then…”_

****

_‘Keep your head, Marc. This isn’t your fight.’_

As he sat on the grid, hours seemingly passing as he waited for the lights to go out, Emilio’s final words to him before the warm-up lap went around and around his head. He must have known, even as he said those words, that it was a lot easier said than done. Because he couldn’t think of enough reasons why this _wasn’t_ his fight. It must have been clear that he wasn’t going to sit back and allow Dani to lose this one.

They’d only managed to catch a couple of minutes together on the way back from the podium, neither having the ability to say much in that time. Marc was firmly of the belief that words were useless anyway; in a situation like this they just simply weren’t enough. He communicated more than he could ever say in a heated kiss, hidden away at the back of the garage.

Now he sat there, revving the engine and just _waiting_ , wanting it to be all over already. 30 laps where anything could happen. But once those lights went out, it all changed. Suddenly he was racer Marc again, not worried fiancé Marc. He was in control. He could do this. Jorge got the better start, the number 93 slotting in behind him and Dani falling somewhere behind them. That somewhere obviously wasn’t far as, within the blink of an eye, the sister 26 bike was suddenly in front of him coming out of the first corner. Normally the sight of any bike overtaking him would be enough to get the fire burning but not this time. No, Marc felt more than content to just sit in third position, effectively protecting his team mate from attack and keeping him where he needed to be.

****

_“These two certainly are not giving an inch! Pedrosa takes the lead, only to have Lorenzo bite back at him straight away.”_

_“This is the most aggressive I think we’ve seen Pedrosa in years. No doubting how much he wants this.”_

_“To be fair, I think Lorenzo has set the rules for this particular game. Dani can’t let Jorge just rough him up. Marquez remains behind these two- I won’t saying waiting to pick up the pieces because we all know that is not the case.”_

_“Marquez can only follow them. The rest is up to these two- Oh! Lorenzo pushes Pedrosa wide, I don’t believe it!”_

_“Pedrosa is pushed back to fourth! Which will_ not _be enough to win him the championship.”_

_“Has anyone told these two that there are still 26 laps left? They might want to put that on the pitboard the next time around!”_

_“I’m wondering if Race Direction might have something to say about that…”_

_“We’ll have to wait and see…”_

****

 _Change of plan_.

Once Dani disappeared from view, Marc knew there was only one thing he could do to help: he needed to win this race. It wasn’t an option to assume that his team mate would claw his way back.

_Demon Child is coming for you, Jorge. Better watch your back…_

****

 _“We are just receiving word that the incident between Lorenzo and Pedrosa will be investigated_ after _the race. Now that is a controversial decision.”_

_“Do they know something we don’t? It’s going to be quite the mess if Lorenzo does, in fact, win the championship, only to be penalised later.”_

_“Correct. But Race Direction will also not want to make any rash decisions. It’s a tough one to call, but let’s just hope that move hasn’t decided this championship.”_

_“It might not matter now as Marquez makes a move on the number 99. But can he make it stick?”_

_“He does! Marquez might be Pedrosa’s saving grace here if he doesn’t manage to make his way back into podium position. As we all know, fourth will be enough for Pedrosa if Lorenzo fails to win this race.”_

_“Marc Marquez is being the model team mate here. He’s beginning to put a bit of daylight between himself and Lorenzo.”_

_“He’s being the model fiancé too! I’m sure Dani won’t mind Marc winning the race at all, as long as he gets the big trophy at the end of it.”_

****

“He’s going to do it. Marc’s going to win,” Alex muttered to himself, eyes still transfixed on the small screen. Dani had managed to get back to third but he had absolutely no chance of getting ahead of Jorge at this stage it seemed. And they weren’t entirely sure it would be safe to try. It didn’t matter; as long as Marc won Jorge’s second place wouldn’t be enough.

The cardboard boxes were already starting to appear, the team obviously feeling that with four laps left it was a safe enough bet. Antonio and Eric didn’t seem to think so, and Alex couldn’t exactly blame them. He’d been the very same when Marc had won the previous year. Going into the final corners, however, the fact that Dani Pedrosa would be champion was absolutely undeniable. Marc flew past the finish line first, taking the checkered flag and celebrating as if he had won the championship himself. Jorge soon followed and, eventually, the second Repsol Honda bike crossed the line, cementing the result.

*****

One look up at the standings as he flew past the finish line told Marc all he needed to know. Relief and elation in equal parts flooded through him and his head fell forward, unable to believe that it was over- that Dani was a world champion. _Finally_.

Turning his head when he felt a hard nudge into his side, Marc wasn’t sure he’d ever smiled as brightly as when he saw that Dani had pulled up close to him, the older man’s visor already pulled up, tears running freely from his eyes. The sight of a crying Dani always enough to set him off too, Marc joined in, the two bikes almost coming to a stop as they embraced.

“You did it. I’m so proud of you. So _so_ proud.”

Shaking his head, he clung to his fiancé’s arm for dear life. “You helped. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“We both know you could. Even if I hadn’t won, podium would have been enough. It doesn’t matter now… you’re world champion, Dani. You’re champion. Go celebrate with your fans, I’ll be waiting in parc ferme for you.”

Dani nodded, reluctantly letting go. It took another moment of encouragement for him to actually continue on, Marc’s heart swelling with love and pride as he watched the crowds on their feet to applaud his husband-to-be.

 _What a day_.

On his way around, Marc thanked his own fans for their unbelievable and unwavering support, giving his fan stand a thumbs up when he saw that the majority of its occupants were now waving 26 flags. _Maybe we should consider amalgamating…_ His family and team were front and centre waiting to welcome him when he finally entered parc ferme. After embracing Santi and thanking him profusely for all his hard work over the season, Marc hopped down and took a run and jump at the barrier, finding him tossed around as per custom.

“Thank _god_ that race is over,” he laughed, shaking his head to himself and running his hand through his hair once he’d rid himself of his helmet.

“Fantastic ride, Marc. I know you won but you also really played for the team. Honda are going to be very impressed.”

“Pff, I didn’t want to be sleeping in the garden tonight,” he winked at Livio, who merely shook his head and laughed before making his way across to where Dani’s team were congregated.

“How is it the only one of us who wasn’t in the running for the championship won today?”

Marc practically squeezed the life out of his brother for the second time that day. “It’s only fair. I didn’t want to miss out on getting a big trophy too, don’t be so selfish. I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe you too both won.”

The younger Marquez scoffed. “That makes two of us.”

“Hey-“ he felt a nudge on his shoulder and turned around to see Jorge standing there with his hand outstretched. Marc shook it without a second’s hesitation. “Great race.”

“You too. Except for that move…”

 _Yeah, I didn’t think you’d be happy with that._ “I didn’t mean to push him wide like that. I didn’t want to ruin his race. But then again, I was racing _two_ for the championship today, wasn’t I?”

Marc could only shrug at that. “I did what I had to do for the team.”

“Pff, tell that to your _fiancé_ …”

He knew from that tone it wasn’t meant as a dig so much as a jibe and Marc clapped him on the shoulder before turning back to face his team. Making chat with them was difficult when his heart continued to pound in his chest, the thought that Dani would be arriving any minute setting him on edge. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long at all.

****

_“And here we have our winner. Take a bow, Mr Dani Pedrosa. I don’t think anyone has ever deserved to win a championship more than that man.”_

_“I completely agree. He’s been criminally unlucky over the years… there had to come a time when it finally went right for him.”_

_“He embraces fiancé after removing his helmet. What a day for the Pedrosa and Marquez clans! First Alex Marquez becomes the Moto3 world champion, only to be followed by his future brother-in-law joining the exclusive club of MotoGP champions.”_

_“Pretty much solidifying Marc and Dani’s status as the motorsport world’s power couple.”_

_“Indeed! I would be tempted to say the_ sporting _world’s power couple. And they’re joined now by their daughter, Pilar, in parc ferme. No denying that she’s related to them anyway!”_

_“Not even a year old and she’s the spitting image of Marc!”_

_“Keep your eyes peeled because we might be seeing another world champion in the making right here! The Marquez-Pedrosa genes are certainly nothing to be sniffed at, that’s for sure.”_

_“You’re right there, Nick. If I had some of those I might not be sitting here with you today.”_

_“I don’t doubt it! Well, congratulations Alex, congratulations Marc and congratulations Dani. I’m sure there’s going to be a good few sore heads in the morning.”_

_“I think whatever testing is planned for tomorrow is going to be a write-off somehow…”_

_“Absolutely!”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Our hearts are like firestones_   
>  _And when they strike, we feel the love._   
>  _Sparks will fly, they ignite our bones..._   
>  _When they strike we light up the world._


	93. Ever Wonder if it's All For You?

Watching his son take another large gulp of cava, Julia arched an eyebrow in amusement. “You might want to slow down a bit there…”

Eyes the picture of innocence as always, the newly crowned world champion frowned. “We’re celebrating! I won!”

“Yes, we are. But the gala starts in an hour and you’ve had quite a bit already. It’s up to you, but remember that I’m not the one who has to get up on that stage and do the talking. The decision is yours.”

Pouting for a moment, Alex looked between his father and Guille before giving an exaggerated sigh and making a show of putting down the glass, smile that was still plastered on his face betraying him. “Fine. I guess I can take a break for a while…”

“Yeah, you should do that. And fix your tie, it’s an absolute mess.”

“It’s not,” he argued before looking down and making an ‘eek’ face. “Okay, maybe it is…”

Finding the situation absolutely hilarious, Guille stood from where he’d been nursing the same beer for about an hour on the couch. Unlike his rider, he’d been around long enough to realise that drinking at that time was for the ambiance and _later_ was the time for really going for it. When they didn’t have to sit through over an hour of a gala.

“I got it.”

Alex held his hands up in surrender after they’d been swiftly swatted out of the way, more than willing to let his crew chief take the lead rather than struggling with it for ten minutes by himself and having to ask someone to help anyway. “Thanks.”

Guille made swift work of it, leaving the younger man blushing at his lack of experience in wearing suits. “There. Looks an awful lot better now. We can still tell Roser that you did it yourself though,” he winked, “She’ll be so proud.”

His father cackled at that, leaving Alex a very unappealing shade of red. “Fuck off.”

****

“Marc,” knocking twice on the door, Emilio pushed it open, “Are you ready to- _Oh for fuck sake!_ _GET DRESSED_.” Covering his eyes and shutting it just as soon as it had opened, the manager/team boss grimaced, wasting absolutely no time in leaving lest he see anything else that might scar him for life. He could hear Roser’s laughter from all the way outside and scowled as he wandered over to where she was sitting outside, sunglasses perched atop her head now that they were no longer needed. “You could have warned me.”

“To be perfectly honest, I didn’t think they’d still be at it. I walked in on them like forty five minutes ago.”

“Fucking Pedrosa had to go and win the title, didn’t he? I am not covering for them if they sneak off to the toilets in the middle of the ceremony.”

Arching an eyebrow, Roser chuckled. “Which, the gala or the wedding?”

 _Don’t even joke. I love how we all know that’s a possibility._ “Both.” He shook his head in exasperation. “Should have gone to Alex, let Puig deal with those two.”

A brief moment of silence fell over them until they both suddenly, and simultaneously, burst out laughing at the thought of Alberto walking in on his rider and Marc Marquez having sex. _What I wouldn’t pay to witness that._

****

alexmarquez73: All suited and ready for the gala with @guillecr, Emilio and the family! @marcmarquez93 and @26_DaniPedrosa you’re going to be late!

ValeYellow46: @alexmarquez73 Congratulations! And I’m not surprised @marcmarquez93 and @26_DaniPedrosa are missing… #celebrations

alexmarquez73: @ValeYellow46 Thanks! Neither are we! Emilio certainly isn’t ;) #prayforEmilio

ValeYellow46: @alexmarquez73 Does that mean what I think it’s meant to…

alexmarquez73: @ValeYellow46 There are some things your manager just shouldn’t have to see…

marcmarquez93: @alexmarquez73 We’re ready!! (And you’re such a traitor)

marcmarquez93: Suited #RepsolSelfie before the FIM awards! Then for some celebrations afterwards ;) Congratulations again to the love of my life @26_DaniPedrosa, love you so so much <3

26_DaniPedrosa: Couldn’t have done it without you @marcmarquez93 <3 Thank you for helping to make this the best year of my life. Hopefully many many more to come

MotoGP: Big smiles and thumbs up from our champ @26_DaniPedrosa and @marcmarquez93 as they arrive for the gala. Been a very good year for the Repsol riders!

EstrellaGalicia00: 8 championships and counting! Not bad for one family ;)

****

Somehow, at one point of the night, Marc ended up standing on the bar with Dani on one side and Alex on the other, all with arms around each other’s shoulders, being shouted at to make a speech. He tried his best to get out of it, but the angry mob was having none of it and so he ended up rolling his eyes, trying to make it short and sweet.

“I’m sure I’ve said this a million times before today but not winning a championship has never felt so good. Although I’m a little bit worried that I’m now going to be known as Alex Marquez’s brother,” he nudged the taller man, “In all seriousness… Alex, I’m so incredibly proud of you and I’m so glad that the world will now recognise you as the champion that you are, that we all know you are. People always assume that I'm the one giving you guidance but, honestly, I need your guidance an awful lot more than you need mine. I wouldn't be where I am today without having you right there by my side, so thank you for being my best friend. I really hope that the Moto2 grid realises what’s coming and please don’t come to MotoGP and steal my ride too soon!”

“Jajaja we’ll see about that one!”

“Dani… Well, I guess I better be careful here or I’ll have to add a spoiler alert for my vows. I really can’t even describe what it’s like to look over to the other side of the garage and see the love of my life right there. It’s just… incredible. And being able to share this championship with you in the same way you did with me last year is just the best feeling in the world. No one has ever deserved a MotoGP world championship more than Dani Pedrosa has- and I’m not just saying that because I have to spend the rest of my life married to you.”

Dani arched an eyebrow at that. “Have to?”

“Fine, because I’m _going to_ spend the rest of my life married to you. And I’m actually kinda relieved because now I no longer have to fight anyone who says you’ll never win one which you know I would have done, even if I wasn’t going to marry you because everyone knows that I’ve been the biggest Pedrosa fanboy in the world since I was like 7 years of age.” Pausing while everyone in the room laughed at that, Marc’s teeth dug into his lip and he shook his head before turning to look right at Dani. “I love you so much, I’m so proud of you and I just want to thank you for being you and for letting me love you.”

“No,” Dani shook his head, trying and failing to keep from getting too emotional, “No, thank _you_. You’ve given me everything.”

“No, I haven’t yet.” _But I will_.

****

“Finally,” Marc laughed, making his way across the cool veranda to lean up against the damp railing, “some peace and quiet.”

Dani was right behind him, only pausing to close the door behind him. Winding his arms around the younger man’s front, he peered over Marc’s shoulder to see what he was doing with the phone he’d just pulled from his pocket. Part of him already knew without asking the question. “Marc… she’s fine.”

“I just want to check if everything is okay…”

 _Of course you do_. Grinning, the newly crowned world champion placed a kiss against the back of his fiancé’s neck. “Everything is _fine_. It’s past one o clock in the morning, we both know that she’s sound asleep. And even if she wasn’t, Mara is well able to handle her.”

Giving an exaggerated huff, Marc pocketed his phone once again before turning so that his back was pressed against the rail instead of his front. “Fine, but only because you’re the world champion.”

Dani smiled into the kiss that was suddenly bestowed upon him, their lips moving slowly and sensually together rather than hard and fast like they’d done so many times already that day. He raised his hand to cup the younger man’s cheeks, thumbs brushing tenderly across the soft skin. Sighing in contentment, Dani didn’t think he’d ever felt so at ease in his whole life, so fulfilled.

When they finally broke apart, Dani rested his forehead against the younger man’s, feeling the need to remain as close to Marc as possible. “It still feels so weird hearing that.”

“World champion? Yeah, I know the feeling. It’s pretty great getting used to hearing it though.”

“Mmm, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Do you know what would feel even better?”

He was fairly certain that he knew. Without hesitating, he replied ‘double world champion’ at the exact same time that his other half did, both laughing when that sunk in. “First to two?” Marc smirked, expecting the older man to give him a look that said ‘let me enjoy this one first’.

“Looking forward to trying.”

“Speaking of which… If another person asks when we’ll be having another baby I’m going to scream. Seriously, the one we have is barely six months old and I’ve only been back racing for three!”

 _Poor babe._ “That bad?”

“Yes! It’s stopped just short of people rubbing my stomach for good luck. We don’t want good luck with this.”

Pressing his lips against Marc’s once more, Dani wound his arms around the younger man’s waist. “Well luckily the ball is in our court with this one. Just smile and nod, babe, smile and nod.”

“I’ll give you smile and nod…” He kissed his fiancé once again, both content to just stay there and stay away from the celebrations that were still going strong and everyone for a little while. The whole day had been such a whirlwind of emotions and, okay, they were both still riding the wave of but it was beginning to dwindle, fatigue beginning to set in. It had been amazing and, while Marc didn’t want the feeling to ever go away, he was looking forward to having some downtime with his family.

Before all the wedding drama began, but that was certainly a problem for another day.

****

“Thank you though.”

Hidden away in a corner of the room, both beginning to fade, Guille rolled his eyes at his rider’s twelve-hundredth attempt at thanking him since twelve o clock that morning. “Alex, stop thanking me. Seriously. You’re very grateful, I get it.”

Alex nudged the older man playfully. “Hey, I’m being nice. But seriously, I mean it. I really couldn’t have won it if it weren’t for the fact that I had you by my side.”

“Yes, you could. But it was my pleasure.”

Clinking their glasses, having long moved onto something a lot stronger than beer quite a while ago, Alex took another sip of his drink. The liquor went down okay, but the Moto3 champion couldn’t help but frown when his mind began to go into overdrive once again. Obviously noticing that, Guille arched an eyebrow in silent question. “This year has been insane. Mostly insane in a really, _really_ good way but there’s been some bad bits too. It’s just… so strange- how things have changed from this time last year. I fell in love, my brother had a baby, I started winning, I… had my heart broken and then I won the championship. It’s been so up and down that I just can’t seem to get my head around it.”

Guille most certainly would have been lying if he said that he hadn’t expected that had been the reason behind the dark period that the rider had gone through, but Alex had never mentioned it so he never brought it up. “Yeah, well I can safely say that it’s her loss.”

 _Dare I…_ “Him,” Alex corrected before his sense could get the better of him, “his loss.”

 _Wow._ _You’ve been carrying that around on top of everything._ “Sorry, I didn’t realise.”

“Yeah, well I certainly never mentioned anything so you couldn’t have known, don’t worry.”

 _But… wow._ “Someone in the paddock?”

That one actually caused the younger man to laugh. _Not just someone,_ the _someone._ “Yes. Marc went absolutely crazy, we fought, he ended up in hospital because of the stress… Right now I don’t even know what I did it all for.”

“Isn’t that a bit hypocritical of him? Did anyone remind him who he’s engaged to?”

“At the time I thought along the same lines but… he’s no _Dani Pedrosa_. We also hid it from him and only told him when someone who knew accidentally told Dani. It was a fucking mess.” Groaning, Alex scrubbed his face with his hand. “Sorry. I shouldn’t even be thinking about him right now. It’s just that, well, the only ones that ever knew were Marc, Dani, Emilio, my parents, Dani’s family and Jorge fucking Lorenzo.”

Now completely confused, Guille frowned. “Jorge Lorenzo?”

“Random, I know. That one wasn’t by choice. Jorge’s… incredibly smart.”

“But I still don’t understand why it was such a secret. Obviously Marc wasn’t going to have a problem with it being a guy, or someone in the paddock. Was it really that bad?”

 _Looking back now, oh yeah…_ “Yeah, it was. He was… a lot older than me. And not even Marc and Dani age gap.”

Absolutely stunned by that, all he could do was blink. “Oh. How much of a gap then?”

Cheeks turning a deep shade of pink, Alex cringed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “About 18 years…”

Guille was certainly glad that he hadn’t chosen that moment to take a sip of his drink because it would have been sprayed all over the both of them. Instead, he settled for choking on his own saliva. “WHAT.”

“I _know_. I’m precocious, okay?”

 _You can fucking say that again_. _Jesus christ. Little Alex Marquez…_ “Well, I can see why Marc would have had a problem with that one…”

“Yeah. That wasn’t even the worst of it though.”

“How much worse can it get??” It was only when the words left his mouth that Guille really began to put two and two together. Massive age gap, very upset Marc, in the paddock… Feeling like he was about to have a heart attack, he threw back the rest of his drink. “Oh my god, it’s _Emilio_ , isn’t it?”

It was Alex’s turn to splutter. “ _EMILIO?_ Eww, of course it’s not _Emilio_! That’s so wrong, he’s like my father.” _How could you even_ think _that?_

Feeling a little bit relieved, he made an ‘eek’ face. “Sorry, just the first thing that came to my head.”

“I… just… _NO_. And we’re never going to mention that again.” _Never, never,_ never _._

“Yeah, that sounds like a very good idea. I like being employed…”

“Don’t worry, I’m taking you with me to VDS anyway,” the younger man laughed, “You’re safe.”

“If it’s not…” he made a vague hand gesture that meant absolutely nothing but still made perfect sense, “then who?”

 _Eek_. “I’m not sure if I should now…”

“Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“Just tell me who it is, it can’t be worse than my conclusion.”

 _I wouldn’t be so sure_. Resigned to the fact that he had to disclose the name now, Alex took a large gulp of his drink for liquid courage. “Valentino Rossi.”

 

 

 


	94. Night Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all once again! Not sure about this chapter but...

“Mmm… I have to hand it to whoever organises these parties. The cake is always 10/10.”

  
Dani just hummed his approval, scooping another bite into his mouth when something suddenly dawned on him. _Last year I couldn’t because you were pregnant with my child but this year…_ Evil smile beginning to tug at his face, he placed his fork slowly down on the table, slowly enough to catch his fiancé’s attention.

  
Arching an eyebrow in suspicion, Marc froze. “What are you doing?”

  
Before the younger man could move an inch, Dani picked up a relatively large portion of his cake and smeared it into Marc’s face. Marc tried to move but his fiancé had a firm grip on him so he could do nothing but endure it, tongue darting out to wipe away some of the frosting. “Revenge is sweet.”

  
“Literally,” Marc chuckled, using the element of surprise to stealthily and successfully plant a kiss on the other man’s lips. “And you do know that I apologised for that right?”

  
_This cake really is good_ , Dani thought to himself as he ran his tongue over his lips, relishing how his team mate’s interest was obviously piqued by that. Remember the infamous finger blowjob of 2013… “I know you did, that’s why I kindly removed the fork before shoving it in your face.”

  
“You’re never going to let that go, are you?”   
Grinning, Dani shook his head, arms winding around Marc’s waist and pulling him flush against him. Though his face was half covered in icing, he’d never looked so beautiful to Dani, the happiness radiating off of him and warming every inch of the older man. The championship was now over and done with, he’d won and it had been more perfect than he could have ever imagined as a little boy trying to make his way up the ranks. Now he had something even bigger to look forward to; in less than a month’s time they would be in this position all over again- family, friends, cake… him and Marc, promising the rest of their lives to each other.   
And he really couldn’t wait.

  
****

  
“ _Valentino Rossi_.”

  
Cheeks now scarlet, Alex pointedly took another sip of his drink, trying to gather himself enough to be able to deal with his crew chief’s reaction. “Yeah?”

  
Guille shook his head to himself, knowing the younger man had to be having him on. For a moment he almost believed it! “Funny.”

  
_Oh dear…_ “Yeah, it might be if I were actually joking.”

  
Laughing again, Guille stopped dead once he saw that Alex’s expression hadn’t changed one bit. There was no smile beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth, effectively betraying him as he was so used to, no laugh that gave the game away. He was serious… “Jesus… you’re not joking are you?”

  
_I wish I was?_ “Ha. Nope.”

  
“I… Alex, that’s crazy. And I can definitely see why Marc went crazy now.”

  
At least you’re not looking at me any differently. “Yeah… so that happened. And it’s over now. It’s so over.”

  
Still trying to get his head around the whole thing, the older man ran a hand through his hair, trying his hardest not to give his rider the wrong impression. “Who ended it?”

  
“He did,” Alex shrugged, “I was devastated at the time but… now I just feel relieved. It was good, don’t get me wrong, and I loved him but there was just something. He wasn’t my Dani and I wasn’t his Marc.”

  
_I love how everyone now measures their relationships against Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa._ “Well, it’s good that you realised that.”

  
“Yeah. But it kinda scares me. Because if he hadn’t ended it I don’t think I would have realised. Or maybe I just wouldn’t have allowed myself to realise. I wanted so badly for that to be it.”

  
_Wow. That’s a lot for an eighteen year old._ “Don’t we all? Everyone wants to think that the person we’re with is the one.”

  
“Hmm…” feeling a lot less embarrassed, realising that it was Guille and Guille was one of the people in the whole world that he could be completely honest with, even if he hadn’t been completely honest recently. Guille who would never think any less of him. Shaking his head to himself, Alex gave a little smile. “Anyway, it’s done and I may be single but I am also a world champion and that is much, much more important.”

  
“Absolutely,” the older man grinned, raising his glance once again, “to many more championships.”

  
“To many more championships. Starting next year…”

  
****

  
“Good fight this year,” Jorge stuck out his hand to shake his team mate’s, “Shame about the small little bastard.”

  
“Small little bastard is Marc. Dani’s earned this one.”

  
The Mallorcan certainly couldn’t argue with that. Even he couldn’t begrudge his long-time arch nemesis the championship that he should have, all things equal, won at least once already. It had been an exhausting season and he was looking forward to jetting off in a couple of days for a well-deserved holiday with his boyfriend, returning only for the wedding of the century. For a while he’d considered not going but ultimately decided it would be rude given that he was one of the very few riders who had received an invitation. “He has. You calling it a night?”

  
It may have been a seemingly neutral question but Vale instantly caught the intent behind it, the Honda party taking place just a matter of feet from where they were stood. Jorge had obviously been coming from that direction. “Hmm. A bit different to last year.” Subconsciously, he reached into his pocket for his packet of cigarettes and lighter. Just as he had them out, their attention was drawn by the faint sound of music getting a lot louder, looking over just in time to see the new Moto3 world champion leave hospitality, flanked by his mechanic.

  
Alex’s back was to the two Yamaha riders so he had absolutely no idea that they were even standing there, one looking on with a lot more interest than the other.

  
Eyes narrowing as he saw the look on his team mate’s face, Jorge shook his head although he genuinely understood. “No. You can’t keep doing this to him.”

  
“Excuse me?”

  
“He looks good and he’s happy and fulfilled… it’s attractive, I know. But you ended it and I assume that you had good reason for doing so. Let him go. Let him move on and then maybe you’ll be able to move on too.”

  
“It’s hard,” he admitted, voice barely a whisper as he watched the mechanic (Guille?) drape one arm over the younger man’s shoulders, both of them laughing at something he couldn’t quite hear.

  
“It is. But it’s also the right thing to do. Go back to your motorhome, Vale. Go to bed and wake up tomorrow and just… move on. Because I think he already has or, if not, he’s on his way.”

  
_Letting go isn’t exactly something I’m particularly good at._ “Hmm. I guess I’ll see you at testing?”

  
“Yeah, you will. And I’ll be kicking your ass again.”

  
“Pfff. I look forward to you trying.”   
One more handshake and they parted ways, both heading towards their motorhomes.

  
_Just let go_.

  
****

  
“Ugh, I hate that I’m getting sent to bed early,” Alex pouted, stepping it into the chilling night. Or morning depending on what way one looked at it.

  
Chuckling, Guille draped an arm around the younger man’s shoulders. “Cheer up. It’s only because you’re riding the big boy bike tomorrow. You need to be on top of your game.”

  
“No one’s saying that to Marc. He has to ride it too.”

  
“Yeah but Marc has been riding it for two years now, he’s used to it. And, in case you haven’t noticed, he’s annoyingly good at it.”

  
_Yeah, I’ve noticed_. “Pfff. I wouldn’t be surprised if he slept through it though. At this stage it’s going to be a very late night for them.”

  
“Marc and Dani can take care of themselves. It’s my job to make sure that you’re there tomorrow, I don’t care whether or not they are.”

  
Giving his version of the Marquez laugh, Alex shook his head to himself. “Pretty sure that it’s not on you but I appreciate the enthusiasm anyway.”

  
Guille grinned, bumping his rider with his hip and almost causing him to stumble. “Well I’m staying in your motorhome tonight so I assume responsibility.”

  
They fell into comfortable silence as they meandered through the paddock, both happy to just breathe and take in the peace and quiet after such an emotional and stressful day. The paddock at night was always so peculiar in comparison to the day, almost like a ghost town. Excepts for nights like this, however, when there was always one or two people knocking about. Alex couldn’t stifle his yawn this time, his high wearing off big time now, both falling into fits of giggles when Guille tried and failed to keep from yawning too.

  
Thankfully, they were only a couple of feet away from his and Marc’s motorhome, Alex grinning and holding up his wrist to display the band with the key when the other man enquired as to whether he had it. Much to Guille’s surprise, the rider made quick work of it and soon they were inside and out of the cold again.

  
“Looks like Marc the Human Tornado Marquez was here…”

  
Alex certainly was right; there were toys and articles of clothes all over the place, some of them Pilar’s, some of them Marc’s. He wouldn’t have been surprised if some of it belonged to Dani too.

  
“I guess this is what happens when you have children.”

  
The younger man merely gave a shrug that said ‘I don’t plan on finding out any time soon…’ Locking the door again, he looked back at his crew chief. “Marc can clean up whenever he surfaces tomorrow because I am going to bed. Are you hungry or thirsty?”

  
“Er… we just came from a party?”

  
_Oh yeah_. “Right. You can take my bed because I know that’s clean. I wouldn’t make you sleep in Marc’s after what probably went on in there today. I honestly don’t know how he sat through the awards…”

  
Scrunching his face up, Guille laughed, the look on the younger man’s face telling him that Alex realised that he probably didn’t want to think about that. “So you’re sacrificing yourself? You’re so selfless.”

  
“Don’t say that yet because I might be telling you to push over depending on what state I find Marc’s bed in.”

  
Deciding they might as well check that and be done with it, Guille followed Alex the short distance to Marc’s room, the younger man hitting the light switch on without stepping inside.

  
“… So I guess we’re sharing?”

  
It was worse than Alex had imagined, the sheets half ripped off the bed and place in general disarray.

  
“When did they have time?”

  
Clapping his rider on the shoulder, Guille reached across him and switched off the light once again. “Come on, bed time.”

Huffing, Alex followed him nevertheless, almost ready to drop as they made their way into Alex’s room. By the time he realised what that meant, Guille was already down to shirt and boxers and Alex began to panic. His crew chief knew he was gay, right? And yet he didn’t seem to care. It wouldn’t have been a problem at all but for the fact that, well, Guille was undeniably hot and Alex had never slept in such close proximity to someone he found attractive without knowing for sure that the other person shared the attraction.

  
Noticing the other man’s hesitance, Guille merely smiled. “I won’t bite, I promise.”

  
Not trusting his voice, Alex nodded and began to pull off his shoes, which he found were suddenly incredibly interesting. _It’s just Guille. It’s just_ Guille. By the time he had taken off his pants and finally looked up, the other man was already in bed. Only opening a couple of buttons of his shirt, he pulled it off over his head and dumped it on the floor before quickly hitting the lights. Internally cursing his brother and his urges, Alex climbed into bed next to him, the parallels with this day last year almost making him burst out laughing. He probably would have if that didn’t mean he would have to explain.

  
“Alex?”

  
“Hmm?”

  
“I can feel your tension from over here. It’s okay, just relax.”

  
_Easier said than done._ “Okay.”

  
“Night, Babychamp,” the other man said through a yawn, the covers rustling as he snuggled into them.

  
_Sleep, Alex. Sleep._ “Night.” 


	95. Treat You Better (Better Than he Can)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry it's been ages! It actually feels real now that this is coming to an end... like I'm pretty sure there's only two chapters left (although it might end up being more) and it feels really crazy but I'm sure it's time it just finished ;)

The feeling of waking up in bed next to someone had become so foreign that for a moment Alex thought that he might still be asleep and dreaming. It wasn’t until the other person’s arm brushed his that he was fully convinced that he was awake, the feeling so real that he had to be. One quick peak over his shoulder should have reassured him that it was nothing like the previous year but, somehow, it didn’t. It was just Guille, after all; it shouldn’t have felt like such a big deal. And he had no explanation for why it did.

“Morning.”

Alex shivered as the other man’s breath tickled the back of his neck. Deciding that he couldn’t just stare at the wall for the foreseeable future, the newly-crowned world champion decided to just bite the bullet, hoping that the easy smile that his crew chief always seemed to wear would dispel any tension. “Morning.”

“Come on, you’re a world champion… I’m sure you can do better than that.”

It seemed to work. Some of the tension began to melt away and Alex found that he _could_ do better/ “How about that?”

“Hmm… not what I was expecting but I suppose it will do,” the other man chuckled, “How did you sleep?”

“Like the dead. Finishing a long and stressful tends to do that. Although I suppose all the alcohol didn’t exactly help either.”

“No, I don’t suppose it did. I wonder when Marc and Dani ended up calling it a night.”

 _Ha_. “Do you know how long Dani has been waiting to win this championship? Do you know how long _Marc_ has been waiting for _Dani_ to win this championship? They’re probably still up.”

Guille laughed out loud at that, unable to deny the truth of any of it. “I don’t think anyone has ever supported Dani more than Marc. Even _before_ they even thought about getting together.”

 _Oh god, tell me about it._ “Ever since he was a child,” Alex agreed, feeling a little bit wistful, “Do you ever wonder what it would be like to have someone like that? Someone you know would always fight your corner no matter what, even if no one understood it?”

Letting out a whoosh, Guille gave a little shrug, smile not quite reaching his eyes. “I do. But you shouldn’t.”

“Parents don’t count,” the soon to be Moto2 rider fidgeted with the covers, “they have to support you. Marc didn’t _have to_ love Dani like that. He just… did.”

 _Oh boy… you really are blind._ Deciding he had little to lose at this stage, Guille only chewed on his lip briefly before going for it. “I wasn’t talking about your parents…”

Heart beginning to thud, afraid that the other man could hear it, Alex frowned, not confident enough to draw any conclusions despite the fact that he had more than a little bit of an inclination where this was going. “Then who?”

Instead of answering that, the older man mustered up every ounce of courage he had, fingertips reaching out to ghost across the younger man’s jaw. Alex appeared to live up to the nickname he’d been affectionately given, eyes widening as if he were caught in headlights. “Can I try something?”

He found himself nodding along without his permission, almost as if his body was afraid that Alex would betray it. His eyes closed, heightened senses meaning that he was aware of every millimetre the other man moved closer until, finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of agony, their lips met. It was nothing like he’d ever experienced in his life. Being with Valentino had felt almost animalistic but this… this was a warm shower after training in the cold, chocolate cake when you’ve been craving something sweet for days… It felt like he really understood for the first time, like he could look at Dani gazing adoringly at Marc and for once understand what any of that meant. It wasn’t just a kiss, it was _the_ kiss.

And then, too soon, it was over. Eyes still closed, Alex attempted to find Guille’s lips again. And failed miserably. Met with a chuckle, Alex’s eyes opened in confusion. “Why are you laughing?”

Guille shook his head in disbelief, the idea that this was actually happening so completely ludicrous that he was sure he would blink and it would all be gone. “No reason.”

 _Change of tactic._ “How long have you felt like that?”

“A little while. Doesn’t matter. I just… didn’t think you would be interested.”

 _I’m interested. I’m VERY interested._ “To be perfectly honest, neither did I.”

“Yeah, well you’ve had a lot of stuff going on lately so I’m not surprised you didn’t notice how far gone I was for you. Although I was pretty sure you weren’t interested in men…”

 _Once again: VERY interested._ “I feel like such an idiot now.” Burying his face in the pillow, the Moto3 champion groaned.

Guille threaded his fingers through the younger man’s hair, directing his gaze back to his again. “Don’t. You were seeing someone else, that’s fine. Although the really selfish part of me is glad that it was a secret so I didn’t have to watch you being all lovey dovey with someone else.”

“You should have told me.”

Alex shot him a look. “Sooner. I… This day last year I woke up to an abandoned hotel room with the person I spent the night with having literally fled to a different country. And last night we didn’t have sex but you’re here and you told me how you feel, even if it may have potentially made things very awkward. You were honest and that’s the way it’s supposed to be, not-“

“Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re ranting.” He couldn’t help but smile as he cupped the rider’s face, “I don’t want you to just jump in because you think it might be right. I want you to know for sure, however long that takes. So if we’re going to do this then we’re going to take it slow. That’s if you want to, of course. If you want to walk out of this room now and forget that this even happened-“

“I don’t. I want to see where this goes.” Closing the distance between them once again, Alex smiled into the kiss, soft and unbelievably perfect, when he heard the little sigh of satisfaction that escaped the other man. It wasn’t exactly clear how all of this would play out but, despite what was at stake, Alex decided he was damned if he wasn’t going to try.

*

Unsurprisingly, Marc was already there in the garage waiting for him when Alex arrived. It seemed that the MotoGP rider was even more excited about the prospect if sharing the garage (even if for only a couple of hours) with his brother than Alex was, which was really quite something given that he’d been waiting for this moment for a great number of years now. His first go at a MotoGP bike, a Repsol Honda nonetheless… the thought alone was enough to give him shivers.

“Ready?” Marc clapped him on the back, his usual overly confident smirk on his face, “Or too hungover?”

“Pff! I seem to remember that I was in bed last night before you and Dani even left the party. I’m so ready.”

“It’s funny how quickly I bounce back when I have something to get excited about. Sharing the track with baby brother-“ that earned him a sharp elbow to the ribs which he tried not to wince at- “definitely falls into that category.” Glancing around briefly, Marc’s brow furrowed. “Guille not around to watch? I’m surprised he’s not cheering you on.”

 _Don’t blush, Alex. Don’t blush._ Of all the things he thought his older brother might say, that was not one of them and he found himself caught a bit off guard. “Er… no he’ll be here. He’s just… well, he stayed at ours after the party last night so he just had to change clothes.”

“Oh. Sorry that the place was a bit of a mess. It must have been a pain changing the sheets at that hour of the night-“ confused by the look of guilt on the younger man’s face, Marc’s voice trailed off and he frowned, about to ask what was going on when it hit him like a slap. Jaw dropping dramatically, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh my _god_. Alex!”

Alex clamped one hand over the Repsol rider’s mouth, shushing him as if his life depended on it. Once he was satisfied that Marc wouldn’t blurt it out to the whole garage, the Moto3 champion let him go.

“Oh my god,” he repeated, an overly dramatic whisper this time, “you and _Guille_??”

“Nothing like _that_ happened but… I think so? I’ve been so blind.”

“Yeah, you have! So you didn’t sleep together, you just _slept_ together?”

 _How different this is to the last time._ “We kissed a lot, but nothing else. It was a bit of a revelation.”

“Oh m-“

“Marc, if you say ‘oh my god’ one more time…”

“Okay, but this is exciting! Cut me a little slack. I want to know _everything_.”

The younger Marquez couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony. “Marc, need I remind you of what happened the last time you found out I was seeing someone?”

Grimacing, Marc ushered his brother out of the way of a passing mechanic, waiting until the coast was clear before continuing. “That was… _you know who_. This is _Guille_ , it’s completely different. Guille really, _really_ loves you, he’s good for you.”

Relief flooded through him. Alex wouldn’t underestimate just how important it was that his brother actually approved of the relationship- if that’s what it would become- this time. While, at the time, he had thought it worth it, and he wasn’t sure that his opinion on that had changed since, beginning something new in the knowledge that it wasn’t likely to cause a family feud was particularly comforting. “I’m glad you approve but I want to be careful with this one. This isn’t just a rider from a different class…”

“Don’t worry, I know how you feel. But, trust me, you’ll know soon enough whether it’s worth it or not,” Marc grinned, the idea of having Guille as a potential brother in law far more appealing than that of Valentino Rossi, “Now get ready because we need to make sure the rest of the grid is suitably worried. It’s only fair to warn them of what’s coming in a couple of years…”

*

One of the things that hadn’t, surprisingly, crossed his mind when Honda had invited him to test the MotoGP bike was that he would, for the first time, share a track in addition to his brother and brother-in-law to be. It wasn’t until he was following Marc around on the outlap and caught a glimpse of the 46 machine that he even remembered the Italian would be there. All in all, it made no major difference but the Marc VDS rider would have been lying if he said that he hadn’t gotten the slightest bit of satisfaction from passing the Yamaha on the straight, even if he didn’t go faster.

The step up from Moto3 to MotoGP was huge, and would have left him completely exhausted save for the adrenaline that was now running through his veins, making him eager for more. By the time he returned the bike to its rightful owner, however, Alex found himself a little bit glad. Guille, who looked as if he’d never been prouder of anyone in his entire life, greeted him with a hug and an impossibly wide smile that gave him another burst of energy, if only enough to get him through the debrief. Though the gestures remained the same, it was crazy to think that their significance had changed so dramatically in a short space of time.

It was something to be discussed later on, but Alex couldn’t help but become a little distracted, his head still spinning with everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours, all of it completely and utterly wonderful.

Debriefing with Santi almost done, Alex was about to wrap things up when a visitor to the Repsol garage created a bit of a stir. A stir that could only be caused by one person…

Emilio was not at all pleased, and it only took one glance up at Marc to see that those sentiments were very much shared when the Repsol rider looked up and saw his rival standing there. Not for the first time that day, Alex felt more like a deer in headlights than a world champion motorcycle racer, unsure as to what he should do. Because, in theory, any Moto3 rider should be humbled by the appearance of a nine time world champion. But he wasn’t just any Moto3 rider, was he?

Valentino led the way in shaking hands, all PR friendly smiles and greetings. “I just wanted to say congratulations. You rode well out there.”

“Thanks,” he tried his best not to remember how the last time they’d properly spoken had been in the wake of some seriously rough and desperate break up sex, “It was a lot harder than I thought it would be.” In some ways he’d felt like a puppy following its mother around, like Marc had been patiently waiting for him to grasp a basic function like walking without falling over.

“You’ll get used to it,” Valentino cast a glance over at Marc, who was not stood next to his fiancé, both looking equally unimpressed, “But maybe I should hope you don’t?”

“Maybe you should,” Alex challenged, finally finding his footing as he folded his arms across his chest, effectively closing himself off to the older man. Glancing up at Guille, who hovered close by, face remarkably blank, it wasn’t until he looked back to the Yamaha rider that he realised his gaze had been followed.

The Italian’s head titled as he observed the mechanic, eyes flicking from Guille to Alex and then back again. _I guess Jorge was right._ “Don’t come for us too quickly, Babychamp. One Marquez is enough at the moment.”

“One Marquez is never enough.”

Without saying another world, Valentino headed for the exit. It was a strange feeling, having an ex who wouldn’t just disappear after the breakup, who would be there every week. A constant reminder of all the mistakes he’d made.

And he certainly didn’t like it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    


	96. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last story line chapter before the one or two epilogues which I'm very happy but also kinda sad about :/ I've had this one planned for ages so I hope you enjoy it! <3

Eyes opening abruptly as he was pulled from his wonderfully deep sleep by the sound of something smashing in the distance, Marc cursed the person’s clumsiness. He squeezed them shut again, letting out a little contented moan as he pulled the covers close to his chest. Slowly, he began to drift off into unconsciousness once again…

That was until the door of his room opened with such a band that it was a wonder all the photo frames didn’t fall off the walls.

“MARC!”

_Christ, leave me alone._ “Sleeping,” he muttered almost incoherently, pulling the duvet up over his face in the hope that his mother would get the hint.

She didn’t. “Marc Marquez i Alenta, you better get your ass up out of bed right now or so _help_ me god! I did not spend months planning this day to just…”

He didn’t hear the rest. All Marc knew was that there came a point in her, previously baffling, rant when his sleep-stupid brain finally put two and two together and he realised why he was in his parents’ house and not home in bed with Dani.

_OH MY GOD._ “WHAT TIME IS IT.” Covers now discarded haphazardly on the floor, the MotoGP rider furiously lunged for his phone, cursing when he found that it was well and truly drained of all battery.

Roser, who was now throwing the curtains open, though there was still little to be had by way of light, took deep breaths as she tried her best to remain calm for her son’s sake. “The power is out… probably because of the storm.”

_The… what?!_ Sure enough, one glance out the window showed that it was practically monsoon season out there, looking like late evening rather than early in the morning. “What time is it?” he tried again, panic increasing by the second.

“Quarter to eleven.”

_Sweet mother of divinity._ Blood turning to ice, Marc’s jaw clenched so hard that he was sure it would do permanent damage as he trudged out of the room, stopping in his tracks when he saw his brother and his father looking equally panicked. Alex seemed to be half in, half out of his tux, complaining about a pin that was allegedly stabbing him as he hopped about, their father trying to best to get it out. “Alex! Some best man you are! Your only jobs are to get me there on time, bring the rings and deliver the best man’s speech and you’ve done a piss-poor job of the first one!”

“It’s not your brother’s fault. We had alarms set too but no one anticipated that the storm would knock the power out-“

“Are you telling me that not _one_ person in this house had enough battery in their phone for an alarm?”

“If we did we would have all been up hours ago!”

Marc really couldn’t believe this was happening. It was his wedding day; they were supposed to be up earlier than he would have liked, had a couple of glasses of champagne as they leisurely got ready for the biggest day of his life before heading to the hotel in plenty of time, on the off-chance that something completely unexpected happened…

That was all gone out the window. At this stage he would be lucky to even be there when the ceremony began at one.

“I’m writing a letter of complaint to Apple!”

“By all means, but could you please do it _after_ you’re married? Thank god you’re not a woman or this would have been a catastrophe of the highest order.”

_Are you kidding me?_ “It’s already a catastrophe of the highest order! I have to shower before I can fix my hair and get dressed and I can’t shower because _someone_ decided that it would be a good idea to upgrade to electric showers a couple of weeks before my wedding!”

Alex was beginning to regret the day that he’d agreed to be a part of the wedding party. “Just get some shampoo and go outside back, it’s raining enough that you probably won’t even notice the difference.”

“You, be quiet! This is the most important day of my life, Dani is not going to want to marry me if I’m late-“ stopping midsentence at the sound of a faint beeping coming from somewhere, Marc frowned, catching his father’s eye as they all tried to figure out where it was coming from.

“It’s the cooker!” Roser almost burst into tears with happiness, “The power is back!”

The Repsol rider had never moved so fast in his entire life. By passing his room completely, Marc hopped immediately into the shower, just in case the power decided to cut out again. It was the quickest shower he’d ever had in his entire life bar none, in and out in five minutes tops. By the time he got out, Alex was properly dressed and waiting with his suit, crisis apparently (only just) averted. It was the first chance that Marc had to properly breathe, and he quickly realised that although he was so excited, he also kinda felt as if he were going to be sick. Exchanging a look with his brother as he let out a shaky breath, the younger man merely smiled and clapped him on the back, knowing that Marc needed no reassurances that he was doing the right thing.

_It was never a question of if but when._

AlexMarquez73: @marcmarquez93 looks kinda nervous, no? #bigday

Marquezalamuerte93: Are Marc and Dani getting married today???

Calcrutchlow: @alexmarquez73 Tell him to stop blushing and get himself to his own bloody wedding we’re all waiting

Lorenzo99: @calcrutchlow @alexmarquez73 Really? Because we’re here and you’re nowhere to be seen...

Calcrutchlow: @lorenzo99 Rub in the fact that I wasn’t invited why don’t you

*

Sitting on the couch after he’d nearly paid with his life for sitting on the marital bed, Eric flicked through Instagram as he waited for Dani to blow-dry his hair. The short trip from the car park to the hotel had been nothing short of a disaster, gale force winds meaning that the collection of umbrella’s that they’d brought to make sure no one- especially the groom- would get wet were soon destroyed. Eric had actually winced when they made it into the lobby and saw that his brother’s eye-wateringly expensive Hugo Boss suit was a little bit on the soggy side.

From there it had been a dash to get checked in before rushing up to the honeymoon suite so that Dani could get dried off and have a complete and utter mental breakdown just before he was about to be married. Pilar, sensing the tension, started bawling, her father’s attempts at soothing her only making her more upset. In the end, Antonio had taken her for a walk while Basilia had attacked her eldest with a hairdryer, bumping Eric out of the way when he couldn’t defy the laws of physics and dry his brother fast enough.

Seeing Alex’s Instagram post, he broke out into a grin before letting out a whistle. “Dani, you should see your husband. He looks so hot.”

“He’s not my husband yet!” the reply echoed off the tiled walls of the bathroom, “And I don’t want to see! …Do I?”

“No, you don’t want to see. It will ruin the effect!”

Their mother having spoken, he merely shrugged, liking the photo before scrolling down in an attempt to keep himself occupied. He couldn’t help the anxious tapping of his foot, the minutes that continued to pass until Dani and Marc were standing at the (metaphorical) altar turning him into a bit of a nervous wreck. It wasn’t as if he thought that Marc wouldn’t turn up, just that Eric knew he probably wouldn’t be able to breathe easy until the couple were officially married and the most important of his duties as Dani’s best man discharged.

Alex: The Eagle has landed… is the coast clear?

_Oh thank god._

Eric: We’re still up in the room. I’ll rally the troops now. Could you keep the Eagle distracted until I get the Hawk to the ballroom?

Alex: I’ll try my best. He’s trying to hide it but he’s a bit of a nervous wreck at the moment

Eric: Aren’t we all! Okay, we’ll get the show on the road here. See you soon ;)

Standing up, Eric chuckled in disbelief. Who would have thought when Casey Stoner decided he wanted to retire that this would be where they ended up? “Dani! It’s time for you to get married!”

*

“If anyone knows of any reason why these men should not be…”

Getting through the wedding ceremony with Marc stood there next to him was as hard as he’d expected it to be, but not for the reason’s he’d thought. Of course, his fiancé ( _very_ soon to be husband) was the most attractive person in the whole world and that, coupled with a suit that fitted him like a suit had never fitted anyone else before, meant that it was extremely difficult to keep his eyes off him. But Dani had forgotten completely about Marc’s inability to keep a straight face. And since, usually, when Marc laughed Dani laughed, the ceremony had been a quest to keep from making their mothers very cross with them.  

Unfortunately, all it took was for the officiator to effectively ask if anyone objected and Marc to make a face as he looked around at their guests for all Dani’s hard work to be for nothing as he burst into a fit of giggles. In some kind of vicious cycle, that set Marc off and soon the whole room was laughing, with them or at them Dani did not know.

“Okay, no one objects!” Marc finally had to say, earning him a very disapproving but amused head shake from his fiancé.

“Then it’s time for the rings,” the elderly man smiled, beckoning the two best men forward. Both, as expected, made a show of having forgotten the rings and looked equally disappointed to find that the other had had the same idea.

Marc’s heart practically skipped a beat when the man called for him to go first, hands shaking as he reached out and took Dani’s hand in his. Their eyes met, leaving the younger man completely floored by the thought that this was it, a couple of words and Dani would be his for the rest of his life. It was almost enough to leave him completely frozen. Almost. One mischievously cocked eyebrow from the man standing right in front of him gave him all the encouragement that he needed. “With this ring I, Marc Marquez Alenta, marry you, Daniel Pedrosa Ramal, and bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship and the promise of all my tomorrows.”

“With this ring I, Daniel Pedrosa Ramal, marry you, Marc Marquez Alenta, and bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship and the promise of all my tomorrows.”

“By the power vested in me by the State, I now pronounce you married. While Dani and Marc share their first kiss as a married couple, please join me in giving them your most enthusiastic congratulations.”

The words had barely left the officiant’s mouth before Marc’s lips crashed down on Dani’s and he kissed his now-husband with everything he had as the applause and cheers, which might as well have been miles away, sounded in the background.

Apart from the birth of their daughter, Dani had never felt so happy in his entire life as he did with his arms wrapped around his husband’s neck, the whole thing seeming so completely absurd but indisputably _right_ at the same time. “You’re never getting rid of me now.”

_I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you._ “That’s okay because I never want to.”

*

Marcmarquez93: So after storms, power cuts and broken umbrellas I finally get to call you mine. How handsome does my husband look?? @26_DaniPedrosa

26_DaniPedrosa: Promised forever to the love of my life today. Thank you @marcmarquez93 for making me the happiest person in the world

*

Finally getting a chance to have a minute to himself, Alex shrugged off his suit jacket and dropped down onto the vacant seat with a sigh. “Sorry, seems like the world and its mother wants to tell me how handsome I look and ask when I’m getting married.”

Guille’s eyebrows raised in amusement as he sipped on his (fifth?) glass of champagne. “Well, first of all, you do look incredibly handsome. But I hope you won’t be getting married anytime soon?”

Alex pointedly ignored that one, not wanting to hear any more talk of weddings for at least six months after all the work he’d put into this day. Leaning in close to the other man’s ear to ensure that neither Santi nor Emilio, who were laughing at something a couple of seats away, overheard, Alex couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he slipped the key to his room into Guille’s pocket. “My room is 217 so you can just grab your bag from the car and dump it there.”

Unable to quite believe the turn this had taken since Valencia, the other man smiled, hand instinctively coming to rest on Alex’s thigh. The now-Moto2 rider looked incredible, something that had caused him to become very distracted during the ceremony as he pondered all the things he desperately wanted to do to the younger man right then. “I’ll slip out after the speeches and drop it up. No one will even know I’m gone.”

That hand was creeping into dangerous territory and Alex found himself having to bite down on his lip to keep the situation under control. “I wish I could join you up there…”

“It’s okay, we’ll have plenty of time tonight. And I really hope that your room is not next to your parents’…”

“It’s not, thank god. The good thing about Marc knowing is that he knows the drill. In fact, I’m pretty sure he asked for us to be put on different floors.”

“What did I do?”

Seemingly appearing out of nowhere, Alex nearly jumped a mile into the air at the sound of his brother’s voice, Guille’s hand quickly withdrawn as Marc sat down on the free chair next to them and pulled his husband down onto his lap. Both still looked sensational, if a little dishevelled, and the picture of happiness with their brilliant smiles and sparkling eyes. Not for the first time that day, Alex found himself feeling a little envious of his brother. But one thing he had on his side was youth, and he was more sure than ever that his time would come.

“Er… booked the rooms.” _Don’t look at me like that._

“Oh, yeah I did and you’re welcome. Are you enjoying yourself, Guille?”

“Absolutely. You two put on a good party.”

“Thank you,” Dani grinned, either high on alcohol or happiness. Or maybe both. “I thought that a wedding would be more fun for the guests than the married couple but we’re having a great time, you should definitely try it.”

Groaning, Alex nudged his brother who, like the asshole he was, was cackling evilly. He should have known he’d rue the day that Marc found out about what he and Guille had going on, especially since he was inevitably going to tell Dani so they could join forces in making an absolute mockery of them. “Fuck off.”

“You should be grateful that we actually approve enough this time to make marriage jokes. That’s a high honour.”

“Well, we really feel honoured. Now can you leave us alone? I’ve seen my boyfriend for all of five minutes all day.”

“Sorry, you’ll have to wait a little longer I’m afraid. We’ve been instructed to get the speeches started so that they can start preparing for the band which means it’s your time to shine, brother.”

Once again, Alex groaned, the speeches the part of the day he had been least looking forward to. In fact, he’d tried to insist on not doing one, seeing as there were two best men in this case, but Marc would hear nothing of it, stating that he would be mortally offended if Alex were to decline. Naturally, the elder Marquez got his way, just as he always did. “Ugh,” he slumped against Guille, who- the traitor he was- was looking forward to this particular speech more than any other part of the day, “Fine. But we need to take a picture of the four of us for Instagram while we’re all here.”

The married couple were more than happy to acquiesce to that, Marc throwing one of the chocolates that adorned the tables at his crew chief a couple of feet away to get his attention, the other three men almost falling off their chairs laughing when he missed and hit a very unamused Emilio instead. Absolutely mortified, Marc begged for his manager’s forgiveness as if he were a nine year old child once again, Santi agreeing to take the picture to put the Repsol rider out of his misery.

Alexmarquez73: With some of my favourite people in the world. Congrats again Marc and Dani, we wish you all the happiness in the world x

*

Rubbing his eyes as inconspicuously as he could, Marc shook his head to himself as he stood once the applause for his brother’s speech had died down, trying to get a hold of himself so he wouldn’t just burst into tears in front of all of their guests. “So, I should probably say that I’ve been teasing Alex about this speech ever since I asked him to stand with me today but it never occurred to me that I would have to follow _that_ at the time!” he cast a glance at the younger man, “Alex, you were supposed to tell them about every embarrassing thing that I’ve done in my entire life, not make me _cry_. Look what you’ve done to our poor mother!” It was no exaggeration, Roser was furiously dabbing at her eyes with a tissue in an attempt to keep her makeup from migrating half way down her face.

“In all seriousness, I can’t even tell you how thankful am I to have you here by my side today. You’ve always been there for me, even when I was being an idiot and you wanted nothing more than to slap me. Dani and I want to thank you for putting up with us over the past however many months, and we want you to know that we’ll certainly return the favour one day.” If Marc was really evil, he would have pointedly looked at his brother’s boyfriend right then but was conscious of the fact that Alex was probably sick of the jokes at this stage and would likely never speak to him again. “I guess there’s another person I should probably thank, since he’s the reason we’re all here today: my wonderful _husband_ , Dani.” Pausing for all the catcalls and cheers, Marc looked to where said husband was sitting on his other side, feeling that very familiar jolt when their eyes met and he all but turned to goo.

“You know, saying that feels so unbelievably strange but also completely perfect. Sometimes I think that I’m going to blink and all of this is going to go away, that it will all have been a really crazy dream. But then there you are, giving out to me for hogging all the covers or crashing one too many times on a Friday, and it’s completely real. I mean, if you had told me when I was a pre-pubescent teen mooning over my favourite rider, Dani Pedrosa, that one day in the not too distant future I would be married to him then I- well, I actually would have believed you to be honest. That probably has something to do with the fact that I used to write ‘ _Mr Dani Pedrosa_ ’ in a heart in my school notebooks…” Dani’s cheeks turned an even brighter shade of pink at that, and he laughed as he covered his face in embarrassment, thinking that his _husband_ was very lucky that he’d already had his go.

“In all seriousness, I’d struggle for a long time to accurately put into words how I feel about you. You’re my hero, my best friend, and my soul mate and you’ve given me the greatest gift that I could ever receive in our daughter. I only hope that she’ll grow up and find someone that she loves as much as I love you, and someone who loves her as you do me. I’m so excited to begin this next chapter of our lives together and I just want to thank you for being you. So, if you will, please raise your glass for my incredible husband, Dani.”

The man in question stood at that, not wasting any time in pulling the younger man in for a passionate, but tasteful, kiss. Thinking he probably resembled a Marquez more than his usual self with all the smiling he was doing, Dani rested his forehead against his husband’s, trying his best to keep the tears that had begun to well from falling down onto his cheeks. “I love you so much.”

_I’ll never get tired of hearing that._ “I love you, too.”

*

“Ughh…”

Guille couldn’t help but chuckle as he guided Alex towards the lift, not envious of the state he would be in in the morning if he was already moaning and groaning before he’d even gotten to bed. “You can make it, come on.”

“Is it just me or has this been the longest day in the history of the world?” Leaning up against the wall, Alex let his head fall back against the cool surface.

“I don’t know what you’re complaining about, you practically had a lie-in today…”

That got his attention, his head snapping up so that he could shoot his boyfriend a very disapproving look. “Don’t. It all went off okay, they’re married and happy and that’s the most important thing.”

“It is,” the older man agreed, stepping out of the way for the lift’s occupants to disembark before shuffling Alex inside, “And I know you must be exhausted, it’s been a stressful day.”

Grinning, the Moto2 riders gaze lowered to his crew chief’s lips before, making his intentions clear and giving Guille a chance to decline before he leaned in and pressed their lips together. “I’m not _that_ tired…”

_Why am I not surprised?_ Smiling into the kiss, Guille threaded his fingers through his rider’s hair. _You said before that he wasn’t your Dani and you weren’t his Marc… I really think you might be_ my _Marc._ “And I am very glad…” He wasn’t sure if he was replying to Alex or responding to his own epiphany but, either way, it didn’t really matter.

*

Arching an eyebrow in amusement as his brother appeared, Guille in tow, with a spring in his step for the post-wedding day family brunch, Marc exchanged a mischievous look with his husband, both curious to see how this one was going to go. “Morning.”

“Morning,” uncharacteristically confident, Alex pressed a kiss against his mother’s cheek before sitting down at the table, gesturing for his boyfriend to take the seat next to him. Pilar reached out for him and he took her from her grandmother, cooing when she deigned to give him one of her unfairly adorable baby hugs that she only doled out when she was happy to see someone. After the novelty of Alex had worn off, which was too quick for his liking, the little girl turned her big brown eyes to Guille, studying him for a moment before pressing her face bashfully against her uncle’s arm. “No need to be shy, it’s just Uncle Guille.”

You could hear a pin drop around the table as all its occupants tried to figure out if he’d just said what they thought he’d said, Guille turning a deep shade of pink as Roser and Julia exchanged a confused look, both sensing there was something more to it but not wanting to make any assumptions.

Marc, on the other hand, had no such qualms. Dani giggled, but his other half was verging on hysterics, almost frightening his daughter half to death with his outrageously loud laugh. “Damn, I wish I’d done that when I told them about Dani…”

No room for misinterpreting now, the older couple exchanging another look, this time more to the effect of ‘ _at least it’s not Valentino Rossi’._ “Well,” Julia began, “at least this time I can say I’m not surprised.”

That pretty much as good of a reaction as Alex had dared to expect, he turned his head to look at his boyfriend, smiling at the unadulterated relief on the older man’s face as all the tension seemed to leave his body. Obviously sensing the change in atmosphere, Pilar now seemed more sure of Guille, even going so far as to reach out for him too. Blushing under the weight of the Marquez family (and Dani)’s gazes, he lifted the nine month old into his arms, planting a kiss smack bang in the middle of her forehead that caused her to giggle.

“Are we ready to order?” Alex asked, trying to keep from laughing when he saw out of the corner of his eye that the sight of Guille with Marc’s baby had caused his mother’s eyes, so similar to Alex’s, to widen almost alarmingly, “Because I’m for one _starving.._.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Then that time I went and said goodbye_  
>  _Now I'm back and not ashamed to cry_  
>  _Ooh baby, here I am, signed, sealed delivered..._  
>  _I'm yours._


End file.
